Midnight Club
by Wild Blue Sonder
Summary: For Chiba Mamoru and his teammates, racing is everything. They love the competition, the adrenaline, and their cars more than anything in the world. At least that was what they believed until five amazing girls entered their lives and began broadening their horizons, all because Mamoru knocked one of them on her adorable butt.
1. Crash

**A/N**  
This is the modern AU, slice-of-life, no powers Sailor Moon fic that nobody asked for. It combines my favorite ships, Inner Senshi x Shitennou, plus teenage relationship drama and cars/racing because why the heck not. Rated M for language and semi-explicit sexual situations. Story art is "Usagi 2.0" by Charlie Bowater.

* * *

 **Chapter One: Crash**

The night sky filled Usagi's vision. At least she assumed it was the sky because it wasn't completely black; she could see little pinpricks of light winking back at her in addition to red and green flashes from an airplane. _'How lovely…'_ she thought, her inner voice sounding distant. She closed her eyes and her head spun. If she really focused she might be able to take off and go soaring through that beautiful sea of stars. It would probably feel a lot better than lying on the concrete, which seemed to have grabbed ahold of her body and didn't want to let go. Even the slightest movement sent pain shooting through her skull. There was also something wet beneath her head, as if she lay in a puddle of water.

She must have fallen asleep there on the ground, for when she woke up it was to the sight of boring white ceiling tiles. None of the places she frequented featured them, so just where was she? It was so bright she closed her eyes again, but at least now she could move her hands and brought one of them to the base of her skull. She winced as soon as her fingers landed on what felt like thick cotton shielding a swollen spot. _'What did this come from?'_ she wondered, gently probing the area. The entire back of her head was covered in gauze. She felt a rough patch on her neck and picked at it, discovering dried blood beneath her fingernail. _'Why would I be bleeding?'_

"Usagi-chan!"

She instantly recognized the voice belonging to her friend Ami. The typically reserved girl threw her arms around Usagi, stifling a sniffle. "Thank goodness you're awake! We were so worried!" Usagi deduced that by "we" she meant their other three friends: Rei, Minako, and Makoto. They were supposed to have gone home after hanging out at Crown Game Center because they had to study for summer exams, except for Rei since she went to a private school. Why were they all here instead of hitting the books? Where was "here" anyway?

Ami must have been able to read the questions brimming in Usagi's eyes because she answered them without any prompting. "Usagi-chan, you're in the hospital. You suffered a minor contusion and concussion." The girl only furrowed her brow. "You don't remember what happened?"

"I remember leaving the arcade, waving goodbye to you all, heading home…" She trailed off with a deeper frown, drawing a complete blank.

"You were hit by a car while crossing the road," Ami said in that calm, rational tone she used when walking her friends through difficult homework problems. "It came out of nowhere."

Usagi stared blankly. "Someone ran me over?"

"Not exactly, it was more of a glancing blow. But he was going so fast that you were flung onto the sidewalk, where you hit your head." Now it was Ami's turn to frown slightly. "You really don't remember us yelling, or the police or the ambulance? You don't remember Mako-chan threatening to send _him_ to the hospital after you?"

Usagi smiled at that. "She totally would have. What stopped her?"

"The fact that he had to fill out a traffic incident report with the police. Even they seemed wary of Mako-chan." As they should be since she had brown belts in both judo and karate. Ami didn't get the chance to elaborate further because Minako entered the room, gasping when she saw that Usagi was awake and shouting out the door to Rei and Makoto. The three of them smothered the injured girl with hugs and are-you-okay's. She was, but she couldn't just get up and leave. A doctor came in to administer a few tests which she passed with flying colors, then the woman gave her a discharge form to sign.

After Usagi slipped into her jacket, Minako latched onto her arm. "We're walking home with you this time," she declared. "I'm not letting you go anywhere alone ever again."

"You're overreacting, Mina-chan," Rei said, giving her signature eye-roll. "Usagi probably got some sense knocked into her thick head." Normally a comment like that would have elicited a whiny response from the girl, but she remained quiet. "Usagi-chan, are you really okay?"

The five of them entered the lobby, and before Usagi could reassure Rei they collectively halted as a young man approached. Everyone glared at him and Makoto moved to stand protectively in front of the group. "What are _you_ doing here? I thought the police would have arrested you."

The boy locked his deep blue eyes on Usagi, ignoring the other girls. "I'm sorry I hurt you, Tsukino-san. I shouldn't have been speeding around at night. I know it's not enough, but I covered the cost of your treatment." Usagi only blinked at him, so he averted his gaze to the floor. "Umm, if there's any trouble with the payment you can contact my employer. Here." She accepted the business card reading _Noctis Automotive Performance_ followed by a phone number and address. Then the boy gave her a deep bow. "I truly am sorry. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me." With that he spun on his heel and made a hasty exit.

"What a jerk," Minako remarked. "He'll probably go right back to driving like a maniac and run over someone else."

Usagi made a noncommittal noise, allowing her friends to shepherd her from the hospital to her home in Azabujūban. She remained unusually quiet during the walk, giving each a girl a hug as they looked on worriedly. "I'm fine, guys. Thanks for being there for me. See you tomorrow?" She received confirmations from everyone and gave them a little wave before venturing inside. "I'm home!" she called, catching a muted grunt from her younger brother who was likely immersed in some video game. Her parents were on vacation and wouldn't be back for another week; the house felt very empty without them.

Normally Usagi would have stayed up late watching anime with a bowl of ice cream in hand, but getting out of the hospital left her emotionally drained. She was incredibly lucky to have only suffered a concussion and some light bleeding instead of more severe head trauma or broken bones. It was probably stupidly selfless of her to consider how _his_ life could have been affected. Maybe he would have lost his license or even been jailed, and she didn't want that for him since he seemed like a nice guy instead of a reckless bad boy. Not to mention that he was cute… like, _really_ cute. High cheekbones, full lips, dark hair, and those unique, gorgeous eyes she could see herself falling into. He was also a good five inches taller than her. She kind of had a _thing_ for tall guys.

She examined the business card again, noting the Hachioji address. That wasn't terribly far from home; she could go there tomorrow and thank him properly. Except… she didn't even know his name and tomorrow was Sunday. What if he didn't work on Sunday? _'Then I'll just try again on Monday,'_ she thought with a smile. She'd go there as many times as it took to see him again.

* * *

Usagi stepped off the train at Hachioji Station and consulted her phone's map app, dutifully following the blue arrow guiding her west. The area was quite modest, perhaps even rustic compared to most of the Tokyo metropolis. She definitely stood out in her trendy sky-blue top and jean shorts, and if she'd known how far she had to walk she wouldn't have worn espadrilles. Comparing the destination on her map with her immediate surroundings informed her that she had to ascend a long, gradual hill, and in lieu of killing her legs she hopped on the nearest public bus that dropped her off at a shrine just down the road.

Her smile faded when she finally arrived at the business. Its major signage was in English which she wasn't very good at reading; thankfully the Sunday hours were listed as 09:00-20:00. Three large bay windows looked onto the street but they were all extremely tinted, making it impossible to see inside. _'Woman up and go on in!'_ she told herself. Bells on the door jingled when she pushed it open.

The first thing she saw were glass cases lining the large rectangular room, each one packed with what she assumed were car parts. Usagi knew jack shit about cars aside from the fact that the one her dad owned was very small and very fuel efficient, which he used to get to his publishing job downtown. The second thing she noticed was a shelf running parallel to the ceiling practically overflowing with certificates, awards, trophies, and photographs of men in jumpsuits beaming at the cameras.

"Can I help you?" Usagi spun toward the owner of the masculine voice and was slightly taken aback by his appearance. He didn't look old at all but he had eyes of quicksilver and wispy grey hair tied back in a small ponytail. His arms were dotted with dark stains and there were also some faint smudges on his face. Like her mystery guy this boy was tall and leanly muscled but he had narrower eyes and a hint of facial hair, giving him the appearance of a rugged samurai. "Does your boyfriend work here?" he queried.

"I don't have a boyfriend," Usagi instantly replied.

"Are you shopping for parts, then? I bet you drive a cute little S2000."

She had no idea what that was and shook her head. "I'm only sixteen, I don't even have a license." She slapped the business card on the counter. "Look, I was in the hospital yesterday because I got hit by a car, and the guy who hit me gave me this."

The boy's eyes widened significantly. "You're not here to press charges, are you?"

"No, I just want to talk to him."

He breathed a sigh of relief. "What's your name? I'll tell him you're here."

"Tsukino Usagi." He nodded and disappeared through a door, temporarily flooding the lobby with noises one would expect to hear at an auto repair shop: jumbled conversation, colorful swearing, pneumatic tools and air compressors, and idling or revving engines. _'It didn't seem this busy from the outside,'_ Usagi thought. She hadn't even seen an entrance for cars to get into the shop. Maybe it was on the other side?

The silver-haired boy returned with her mystery guy in tow. He looked even cuter with a bandanna tied around his head to keep sweat off his brow, though his cuteness was offset by mild panic. "Tsukino-san, what are you doing here? The hospital shouldn't have billed you, I made sure everything was squared away."

She shook her head, smiling kindly. "It's not that. I came because I wanted to thank you, but I don't even know your name."

He stared for a moment before giving her the most adorably sheepish grin at having forgotten such a simple courtesy. "It's Chiba Mamoru."

Usagi bowed to him. "Thank you for paying my medical bills, Chiba-san, and I appreciate you being there to make sure I was all right. You didn't have to do that."

"Actually he did," the silver boy put in, earning a scowl from Mamoru. "If you had been seriously injured it would have dealt a huge blow to our reputation, and then we'd have to organize a community event or something to raise money for you. So thanks for sparing me from that."

"Wow Kyo, could you be more heartless?" Mamoru scoffed, pulling his gloves off. "It was kind of your fault that I was even in that neighborhood."

"I didn't _force_ you to take a shortcut through Azabu," he returned.

"You threatened me with shop duty if I didn't beat you back here!"

Usagi interrupted their argument by asking, "So I got injured because you two were _street racing?_ " They both looked at her guiltily and she raised her chin. "In that case, you owe me big time."

Mamoru gulped. "What do you want, Tsukino-san?"

"First, I want you to promise never to speed through residential areas again." They nodded several times. "Second, I want you to drive me home today so I don't have to pay for another train ticket. And third…" She faltered, making the boys lean forward expectantly. "Never mind. Just do those two things and I'll let you off the hook."

"If you don't tell us the third thing we won't let _you_ off the hook," Kyo teased.

The girl looked down while knotting her fingers. "Summer vacation is coming up and my friend has a beach house down in Izu. We were trying to figure out how the five of us could get there without any of our parents knowing. They think we'll just be drinking and getting into trouble." She rolled her eyes as Mamoru and Kyo shared a glance.

"Do you want us to take you to Izu?" the former asked.

Usagi unintentionally batted her eyelashes at him. "Would you?"

"It's the least I can do for you," he replied in earnest, "and I've never driven the coastal roads. It sounds fun."

"Count me in, too," Kyo added. "I could use the opportunity to get away from this place for a day."

"Oh wow, thank you guys so much!" Usagi would have hugged them had the counter not prevented it. She ran a hand through her bangs, her eyes sweeping around the store again before returning to them. "So what kind of work do you do here?"

Mamoru grinned, pleased that she was interested. "Why don't you come on back and we'll give you a tour." He unlocked the little gate leading behind the counter, motioning for her to follow. When Usagi stepped through the door she was impressed by how expansive the complex was; it really hadn't seemed so large from the street. Each of the six garage bays was occupied by a sleek, sporty car and at least two men working on it. Facing east were two more enormous bays housing transport trucks, and on the northern hill sat a quaint home overlooking the shop.

Noctis Performance was established by Kyo's father, Kitano Tatsuo, after he withdrew from the racing scene in 1997, the year he lost his wife during the birth of his son. In 2007 Tatsuo was approached by one Nishino Koji, the owner of an automotive shipping company. West End Transport became Noctis' biggest sponsor and Tatsuo returned to racing before officially retiring in 2012, entrusting his legacy to his son. Currently Team Noctis only competed in three national events: the Nipponia GT Series, the Red Sun Rally, and the Urban Action Grand Prix. Mamoru and Kyosuke dominated NGT's amateur division for three years straight, but now that they were almost-eighteen and nineteen respectively they could enter the professional series next spring.

"So you guys are racecar drivers," Usagi deduced after the tour ended. The three of them had migrated to the clubroom, a place for employees to drink booze, watch TV or shoot pool. Kyosuke let Mamoru do most of the talking, leaning against the bar while the boy and girl sat in leather armchairs. "If you're so good why would you engage in a pointless street race?"

"We seldom get the chance to challenge each other since we're on the same team," Mamoru explained. "Sometimes you just want to see if you have the skills to dominate the streets instead of the track. Right, Kyo?" He nodded once, smiling faintly. "Are you about ready to head home, Tsuki-chan?"

Usagi giggled at her new nickname. "Yeah, I have some studying to do. It was nice getting to know you, though."

Mamoru's eyes lit up. "In that case I'm glad you came by. Give me a minute to change out of these rags." As he went to take off his dirty jumpsuit, Usagi followed Kyo to a door at the far side of the room where he pushed a series of buttons on a numeric lock. Upon stepping inside the ceiling lights turned on, illuminating two exotic vehicles.

"Wow…" the girl breathed, "I've never seen anything like these before. Which one is yours, Kitano-san?"

"You don't have to call me that, Kyo's fine." He skirted the nearer black car and placed his hand on the hood of a metallic blue one, which was slightly shorter and featured more angular body lines. There wasn't a speck of dirt on it, not even the tires, and Usagi walked around it carefully, leaning down to admire the futuristic interior. "This is a new Acura NSX, one of the first prototypes. It'll be available to the general public next year."

"How can you race it if it's still being developed?"

"Nishino negotiated a deal with Acura after we won the amateur GT series. Basically we're one of a few teams testing its track capabilities for them. The modifications my dad has made to this car will likely be integrated into an improved performance edition NSX in a couple years or so."

"Kyo, that's amazing. You get to work with a major automotive corporation! I know some guys at school who would kill for a chance like that!" The boy shrugged it off as no big deal, turning to Mamoru when he arrived.

"What do you think, Tsuki-chan?" he asked, sitting on the fender of the black car.

"I feel like they belong in a museum of modern art or something."

He laughed amicably. "These cars are made to be driven all across the world, not stuck inside gathering dust. Come on, hop in." He held the passenger door open for Usagi. She couldn't believe the interior belonged to a simple vehicle and not some space-age ride at Disneyland, although she regretted calling it simple as soon as she sat down because she had no idea how the seatbelt even functioned. Mamoru reached over, locking multiple straps into a central hub. "Five-point harness," he explained. "These things will save your life."

"Have you ever crashed?" Usagi asked, wide-eyed.

"Yes, once when my rear axle went out and once when another driver clipped me on a turn. I didn't roll though, which is what really matters. I'm not sure if Tatsuo would want to build another one of these." She gave him a questioning look. "This is Noctis' flagship car, the one Tatsuo retired with. He and Koji have invested a lot of money into it. Just over one-third of the body is malleable aluminum and the rest is a polymer reinforced with carbon fiber, so if I get into a serious wreck and it suffers frame damage we'd have to buy a whole new car. It's been out of production for four years, though."

Usagi tilted her head. "Then why does Tatsuo keep risking it?"

"It endures because every aspect of this car was designed for the track," Mamoru answered. His adrenaline started flowing before he even put the key in the ignition. "It's perfect in every way, and I'm not the only person who thinks it provides one of the best driving experiences of all time. Let me show you."

 _'I'm riding in a racecar with a pro at the wheel. This is crazy!'_ That was the last thought Usagi was capable of forming for a while, for they blasted away from Hachioji and entered the metro at a speed that was almost frightening, darting between traffic on the freeway with the agility of a ninja. Usagi gripped her shoulder straps tightly as G-force pushed her into the bucket seat, preventing her from turning her head. When the traffic became too thick to work through Mamoru coaxed the vehicle down a couple gears and released a satisfied sigh. "How fast were we going?" she breathlessly inquired.

"I think we hit about 210 kilometers on that empty stretch. Top speed is over 320, though." He flashed a devious smile. "Did you like it?" _His_ blood was certainly rushing to lower parts of his body. A little voice shouted in the back of his mind that he was making a huge mistake driving Usagi home. The car was a finely-tuned racing machine worth over 40 million yen, not a damn taxi. But Mamoru ignored it, savoring every second he spent with her instead.

* * *

As Mamoru pulled up to the Tsukino residence it only took about thirty seconds for Usagi's little brother to be drawn outside by the deep, rumbling exhaust. "Hey Shingo," she greeted, stifling a laugh as his jaw hit the ground. Mamoru lowered the window to give him a friendly smile. Usagi waved goodbye and watched him head off down the road, Shingo falling to his knees and gaping in utter amazement. His fourteen year-old brain could not comprehend what he just witnessed and he gazed at his sister bug-eyed. "Want some lunch?" she glibly inquired.

Shingo snapped to his feet, snatching up her hands with a ferocity that made her squeak in surprise. "Usagi, please please _please_ for the love of all that is good and righteous in the world tell me that guy is your boyfriend!"

 _'I wish!'_ "Of course he's not, I just met him."

"That doesn't mean you're not madly in love with each other!" His grip tightened. "Please get me the opportunity to ride with Chiba Mamoru, _please_. I will do literally anything you want for the rest of your life if I can sit in that car with him, even if it's not moving. Please sis, I'm _begging_ you. Even better, make him fall in love with you so you get married and he can become my brother-in-law!"

"Shingo, you're kinda freaking me out." She pulled away and went inside, the boy at her heels.

" _I'm_ the one freaking out! You do know Chiba is a _prodigy_ , right?" He followed her into the kitchen, grabbing his hair to prevent himself from really losing it.

"I didn't even know you idolized him. You've never mentioned being interested in the Nipponia GT Series." Shingo fled the kitchen at that. Usagi heard him rummaging around upstairs before he came back and shoved a video game case in her face. She crossed her eyes and managed to read the title, _Midnight Club: Revival_.

"This is the first new release of this game in _eight years_ , Usagi. They were letting the series die until Chiba-sama arrived on the GT scene. You know that car he drove you here in, the Lexus LFA? That car is _in this game_. It's top-tier and it took me _months_ to unlock. I can't believe I just saw it in person. I can't believe Chiba-sama _looked_ at me." He sat on a stool and slumped against the kitchen counter, staring straight ahead in wonderment.

Usagi softly cleared her throat. "Shingo, do you even know how we met?" His eyes darted to her. "I left Crown Game Center last night and he hit me with that car while I was crossing the road. He gave me this." She turned around and lifted the hair off her neck, showing him the scar and bruising. "He paid for my treatment so I tracked him down to thank him. We talked for a while, he showed me the garage, and then he drove me home. That's the only interaction we've had." She wasn't about to inform her brother that Mamoru would be driving her to Izu, lord knowing he might actually die of jealousy.

"God, you got to see the Noctis garage too?" He sounded so pained. "I must be being punished for something. Why you and not me?"

The girl rolled her eyes at his melodrama. "If you're _so_ in love with Chiba the least I can do is start saving up my allowance to take you to Nishioka Speedway when the season begins next spring, that way you can see him race in person. In return I don't want you to harass me about him anymore. Deal?"

Shingo released the most resigned sigh she'd ever heard. "Deal," he agreed, shaking her hand. A partial smile turned his lips. "At least I can tell all my friends that my sister got to meet Chiba Mamoru."

"There you go!" she laughed while tying an apron around her waist. "I'm going to make gyoza for lunch if that's okay with you."

"As long as you don't burn them." Just like that, everything was back to normal.

The remainder of the day passed without incident as Usagi focused on her homework, snickering when occasional cries of frustration or anger echoed down the hall from Shingo's game room. After their father's promotion to a cushy management position at the publishing company, Shingo pleaded for his parents to let him turn the office into a place where he could study video game development, but since he was only fourteen that basically amounted to playing a lot of them until he could go to college for it. A couple of his nerdy friends ran a gaming blog, and although Usagi would never admit it to his face, she'd visited it to read some of his articles and was surprised by how scholarly they were.

Usagi would also never admit that Shingo's passion for gaming was something she envied since she had no idea what to do about her own future. It hadn't been an issue until this year, her first year of high school, because she had horrendous test scores in junior high and assumed she'd never make it into university. But then Minako began talking about wanting to go to Juilliard in New York so she could become a Broadway star. Ami mentioned trying for MIT or Caltech so she could study computer science, and Rei planned on attending Todai to study politics so she could work with her father. That left Usagi and Makoto who were totally clueless as to which paths to follow, but they studied dutifully on the off chance they suddenly made up their minds.

She finished her problem set and put it in her schoolbag with a sigh, sitting on the bed as she scanned her room for something to do. There were still several hours until she had to meet her friends at their favorite café for dinner. Shingo did all the chores the day before, including the laundry which he normally shirked, so Usagi couldn't think of anything to occupy her time. She practically jumped on her phone when it trilled, eyes glittering as she found a text from Mamoru.

 **Thanks for letting Kyo and I show off today. Cute girls don't often come by the garage.**

Oh no, he thought she was cute. It was one thing to have an unrequited crush on Mamoru, which was safe and non-embarrassing for everyone, but she hadn't considered he might like her back.

 **I'm glad I did, it was really cool! But why didn't you tell me your car is famous? My brother practically had a meltdown when you dropped me off!**

 **The LFA isn't actually mine, it's Tatsuo's. I'm just the current designated driver; Kyo had it before Noctis acquired the NSX. We argue that he should still be the one racing it since it's part of his dad's legacy, but he says he likes the NSX better.**

 **I'm sorry you guys fight, but on a happier note you said you were about to turn eighteen? When is your birthday?**

 **Next month, August 3. Yours?**

 **June 30.**

 **Sorry I missed it.**

 **You didn't know me back then.**

 **I wish I did.** That single line made Usagi's heart flutter. She was falling hard and fast for this guy. **You said you have four friends that need rides to Izu, right? That works perfectly with me, Kyo, my brother and the two new guys.**

 **You have a brother?**

 **Not biological, he's the son of the man who adopted me.** Usagi began typing a reply but stopped when another message came in. **Before you ask, yes, I was an orphan. My parents died in a car crash when I was six. I don't remember anything before then, but it's okay because racing has given me a new family.**

 **Mamoru, that's so sad! But I'm glad you have such a caring family and that you all have something in common.** She wished she could say that about her own family; sometimes it was hard to see how she and Shingo were even related! But of course they loved each other despite their differences.

Her phone remained silent for several minutes and Usagi wondered if she'd made Mamoru upset by sounding like she pitied him. She should tell him it was the complete opposite: she thought he was a strong person and she admired his passion. But would that come off as too sentimental? With a groan she left her phone on the bed and began organizing her closet since her shoes and accessories were strewn all over the place. Then it jingled and she tentatively picked it up.

 **You're too nice, Usagi. Did you forget I'm the guy who almost ran you over? I really wasn't expecting you to thank me for anything. I thought you'd never want to see my face again. Isn't there some part of you that hates me even a little bit?**

 **No, there isn't, because I know you didn't do it on purpose. You were just having fun with Kyo and I happened to get in the way at the wrong time. If I'd turned back to say something to my friends you would've blown right past me, but I chose that exact moment to cross the road. I should have heard your car but I didn't, I was off in my own little world. You could've hit me and kept on going, no one would have caught you. But you stopped. You made sure I was okay. You came to the hospital and paid my bills. That's more than what most people would've done, so that's why I thanked you.** She thought for a minute. **You shouldn't feel guilty because of what happened to your parents, Mamoru. I'm sorry they aren't here now, but I am and I'm fine. I won't resent you.**

The boy at the other end released a long, pent-up sigh. He'd never met anyone as forgiving as Tsukino Usagi; she had every right to resent him. Did it even occur to her that he could have crippled her for life? All because he and Kyo decided to disobey Tatsuo and take their cars into the city to show off, because Mamoru wanted to feed his ego since he had to wait almost a year until race season. There were no adoring fans on the practice track, no media snapping his photo, no journalists asking for his life story. And how fucking morbid was it that he drove Usagi to her _house_ in the car that almost killed her? Her little brother had looked at him as if he were a god, his idol. Imagine Shingo's expression if he had found out Chiba Mamoru was the one responsible for taking away his sister forever.

He wasn't mad when Tatsuo took the keys to the LFA and placed him on a three-month suspension because of his stupid stunt that morning. Now it fell to Kyo to master the NSX and prove to the world that Team Noctis wasn't reliant on his father's past glories. Tatsuo stepped off the track so he could give his son and other bright-eyed, adrenaline-fueled youngsters a chance to wear the crowns in their chosen fields of motorsport just as he once had. There were a lot of people who didn't share the same mindset, who wanted to remain on top until their bodies couldn't handle the physical stress, but Tatsuo firmly believed that youthful ambition would keep the sport alive for decades to come. Youthful ambition gave designers and engineers a reason to keep building cars. Youthful ambition was what Tatsuo saw in a ten year-old Mamoru, what made him take a chance on the boy with amnesia and mold him into a champion. And how had he thanked Tatsuo? By hijacking the LFA and parading it around the city as if he'd built the thing with his own two hands.

"You don't seem as pissed as I thought you'd be," Kyo remarked upon entering Mamoru's small apartment above the clubroom. He dropped into a beanbag chair and fixated the boy with his sagely gaze.

"I'm thankful I only got suspended. I deserve to be kicked off the team, but your dad said he needs me since Zen still refuses to sign a contract."

"I haven't seen that kid in a couple years. Is he still good?"

"Yeah, better than his dad." Kyo hummed approvingly. "But Zen doesn't want to get involved. He says Koji ruined everything by putting so much pressure on him."

"Like you and I have _none_ of that to deal with," Kyo scoffed.

The blue-eyed boy shrugged. "He's just sensitive. There were times I wanted to quit but you two wouldn't let me. If your dad was that hard on Zen he'd probably threaten to go live with his mom. Koji would do anything to prevent that from happening, including pull his sponsorship if it's what Zen wanted."

"If Nishino really did that I'd set all his ships on fire _with_ the cars loaded." The intense look on Kyo's face meant he was being completely serious. "Watch him try to recover his contracts after that catastrophe. He'd never be able to operate in Japan again."

Mamoru grimaced. "That seems a bit harsh, Kyo."

"It'd be what he deserves for betraying my dad," the boy countered. "If Nishino destroys our life, I'll destroy his. Eye for an eye." He stood up and amiably bopped Mamoru on the foot. "If your brother doesn't want to join the team I'll tell my dad to stop pressing him. He sounds like a punk, anyway."

"Well that punk is going to lead the way when we drive to Izu after exams." Kyo opened his mouth to protest. "I don't want you doing anything stupid on the road, no showing him up or anything. We have to get the girls there in one piece." Mamoru lowered his gaze. "I don't want to traumatize any more of them."

"You said Tsuki-chan said she was fine. She seems sincere– if she says she's okay then she is. Stop beating yourself up." One silver eyebrow arched high. "Or are you so worried about what she thinks because you like her?" Mamoru's blush answered for him and Kyo half smiled, half groaned in exasperation. "We don't have the time or energy for girlfriends, Mamoru. You know that. Eat, sleep, race. That's our life."

He smirked. "You might change your mind after you see the rest of Usagi's friends. And a car can't kiss you."

"Hmm, fair point. But a car will never lie, cheat, deceive me or break my heart. If you want to subject yourself to those things then go for it, I won't stop you." Kyo managed to mimic the same disparaging look as his father. "I want us to win the series next year, Mamoru. If your performance suffers because you're distracted by some girl, I will hold it over your head until the day I die."


	2. Merge

**Chapter Two: Merge**

Ami had just taken a bite of gyudon when the door to her classroom slid open, framing a boy everyone turned to stare at. "Which one of you is Mizuno Ami?" he inquired.

She closed her lunchbox and stood up. "I am."

"Come with me," he said, and left without ensuring she would follow him. The boy piqued her curiosity so of course she did. He led her up to the computer lab on the third floor and plunked into a chair, typing and clicking rapidly while Ami stood behind him. She only had to examine the monitor for a few seconds to determine what he was trying to accomplish, but he failed and released a grunt of frustration. "Can you make this work?"

"I think so," she answered, taking his place. She scrolled through seemingly endless amounts of code until locating the erroneous segment, tapping the monitor with her index finger. "Here's your problem. You have to assign each of these images its own value or else your rendering subprogram will try fetching them all at once."

"Oh, I see." There were thousands of images to access so Ami couldn't quite understand how he'd forgotten something as glaringly obvious as numbering each file. After implementing the changes he clicked through several menus. A 3D car model appeared, various aspects of its appearance changing depending on the options selected. "Excellent," the boy grinned. "Thanks a lot, Mizuno-san."

That was her first interaction with Nishino Zenjirou, a third-year at Kougei Academy, and upon returning to her homeroom Ami's classmates told her how lucky she was to make his acquaintance. His father owned an international shipping company called West End Transport that had contracts with all the major automotive manufacturers; suffice it to say Zenjirou was incredibly wealthy and desirable. He established a reputation as an introvert during his first year so although most of the students knew who he was, including that he had the best test scores in school, people seldom saw him because he avoided them like the plague.

Beating those scores was Ami's main motivation for taking Kougei's entrance exam instead of going to the public school near her home. Now that she wore the prestigious black and gold uniform people stared at her wherever she went; the Academy was considered elite since many foreign dignitaries sent their children there. Most of Ami's peers were aspiring models, actors, singers, athletes and artists, but computers were her calling. Her logical, analytical mind loved nothing more than putting order to chaos and seeing something based solely on reason emerge. That was why she said yes when Zenjirou formally requested her help with his project.

They were working on the software after school when he spoke to her out of the blue. "My brother informed me that I'm driving you to Izu after exams."

"Chiba-san?" Ami clarified. She knew of Mamoru, that he was Zenjirou's sibling by adoption, but she'd never actually met him even though he too attended Kougei. "How does he know about my vacation plans?"

"Your friend Usagi told him."

"How does Usagi know Mamoru?"

He faced her, raising a slim eyebrow. "You were there during her accident, right? He was the one who hit her." Ami's lips parted in shock. "I'm assuming she hasn't told you they text all the time."

"I see…" She'd been so busy studying she hadn't spoken with her friends at all since that fateful night at the arcade. Summer vacation couldn't come soon enough. "So you don't mind giving me a ride to my beach house?" The boy shook his head. "That's very kind of you, Nishino-san, but…" He took his hands off the keyboard to give her his undivided attention. "You ride a motorcycle to school, don't you? I'm not comfortable going so far on one of those."

The boy allowed silence to reign until Ami squirmed in her seat, thinking she'd insulted him, then his lips barely turned up in a smile. "I have a car too, Mizuno. I was going to take you in that." The smile shifted to a smirk. "But if you think street bikes are scary, it'll probably terrify you."

Ami wasn't sure how to respond; this was the longest they'd conversed since she began assisting him in May. There were several things she wanted to ask about, mostly his impressive self-taught programming skills, but she knew Zenjirou preferred peace and quiet because he never initiated conversation. Although, he _had_ started this one… did that mean he was ready to be social? "It's fine if you call me Ami. We've been working on your software for three months now, we should stop being formal."

"In that case, call me Zen. Or Zenji if that's too casual for you." He sat back with a sigh. "If we're going to start talking, I'd appreciate it if you spared me the financial queries. And please don't say you want to pleasure me in exchange for money."

She blinked at him, bewildered. "Is that a proposition you often receive?"

"Yeah, from the Eurotrash."

"I'm sorry you have to deal with that." Ami coughed nervously while he shrugged it off. When their gaze reconnected she didn't see a trace of apprehension in his dark green eyes, and speaking of those… "Do you wear contacts, Zen-san?"

Good, she used his nickname. "I have astigmatism. Green is my favorite color."

Ami reached up to brush a bright red strand escaping the knitted hat he wore every day. "And you dye your hair?"

"Yeah… it didn't come out very well so I've been hiding it. I wanted mahogany and they gave me stop-light red."

The girl tilted her head. "I might be able to fix it. I help my friend Mina with her hair every month, but she goes blonde. If you don't mind platinum there's a bottle at my house."

Whoa, she was inviting him to her _home?_ That was a first for him. "Sure, I'm game."

People stared as they headed downstairs together, whispers following in their wake. Zen was never one to acknowledge gossip and hoped Ami wouldn't let the rumors get to her either, not that she really had a reputation to tarnish. When word had reached his ears that a first-year applicant scored perfectly on her entrance exams, he asked the student council president to see her file and was pleased to discover she matched him intellectually. Zen never considered becoming friends with the girl, but here they were going to hang out after school.

"This is your motorcycle?" Ami inched closer to the idling Kawasaki Ninja H2R while the boy straddled it. "It looks fast."

"It _is_ fast," he said with a fond smile. "Top speed is over 320 kilometers thanks to the supercharger. I'll definitely beat you to your place… which is where, by the way?" She supplied her address, then he waved and zoomed off.

Even though Ami caught a timely train to Jiyugaoka the ride still took half an hour and she felt guilty for having to make Zen wait around in a strange neighborhood, but upon exiting the station she found him parked nearby. "I thought it'd be more fun this way. Hop on." He shifted forward in the seat and Ami glanced around uncertainly, hoping no one saw up her skirt as she lifted her leg to sit behind him. Once situated a prickle of fear bloomed in her stomach and she clung to his waist. He could feel her heart pounding against his back. "It's okay Ami-chan, I'm not going to speed around here. I'm not _that_ irresponsible."

"Just slightly irresponsible, hm?" she muttered, making him chuckle. He drove slowly down the street, turning whenever her hand rose to direct him. The Mizuno residence was quaint and featured perfectly maintained landscaping, a low, gated brick wall lining the sidewalk, and a flagstone path to the door. Ami withdrew a key from her schoolbag and led him into the clean, bright, utterly silent abode.

"Your parents aren't home?" Zen inquired.

"My mother is the head of surgery at the hospital in this ward so she's always working, and my father… is an eccentric artist living in the mountains." Zen noticed the tension in her voice and made a mental note to avoid bringing it up again. After Ami changed into a tank top and torn capris she joined him in the bathroom. "All right, take off the hat." He did so resignedly, catching the way she stifled a laugh as a veritable mop covered his face. "Do you want me to cut it first? I do Mina's, my mom's, and my own."

The fact that her fluffy, layered short hair looked professionally styled bolstered his confidence in her abilities. "This is a weird way to start a friendship," Zen remarked while she combed and snipped, "likely only time I want a girl fussing over me." He felt a tug near the base of his neck. "Hey, what are you doing back there?"

"Nothing to worry about," Ami sweetly replied. The tugs moved up to his crown before she came around to give him razor-cut side bangs. She stood back appraisingly, thinking she'd done a pretty good job styling a boy's hair for the first time. "May I have your verdict?"

Zen cracked an eye to examine himself in the mirror and immediately gasped. He resembled a young Gackt, especially with his green contacts, and he wasn't about to complain since the man was a national idol. "You have skills, Ami-chan. Maybe you should consider cosmetology school instead of MIT."

"That wouldn't be as rewarding," she returned, donning some latex gloves. "Now, I hope you find my bathtub comfortable. Turning you blond will take a while."

* * *

Zen would have offered to drive Ami to her vacation home if Mamoru hadn't already made the decision on his behalf; it was the least he could do to thank her for considerably boosting his self-esteem. The security guard at Noctis Performance stopped him, asking him to remove his helmet. "Sorry about that, Nishino-sama. Didn't recognize you or the bike." The boy nodded before rolling into the complex, noticing the mechanics staring at him. They all knew he only came here when it was absolutely necessary because he didn't want to take the chance of running into Tatsuo. The man was probably lurking already.

Zen parked outside the garage housing Noctis' secondary vehicles. These were cars that could be quickly outfitted for competition in the event something happened to one of the flagship cars, but when not in use they served as personal rides. The Mazda RX7 he received for his sixteenth birthday lived here alongside Mamoru's Porsche 991 GT3 and Kyosuke's Lotus Exige 350. The RX7 was the rarest car among the lineup since it was one of only 1,500 Spirit R versions produced in 2002. Just looking at it made him feel like he could conquer any road in the world.

There were four boys at the small practice track and two of them shared a look when they heard the instantly-recognizable rumble of the RX7's rotary motor. A few seconds later the emerald green vehicle crested the hill. "Why is Zen here?" Kyo inquired of Mamoru. He only shrugged as he left the central command platform, jogging across the pavement to open the gate. Never mind that there was someone currently on the circuit, one of Tatsuo's new recruits. Zen gave Mamoru a friendly wave before heading to the starting line. "What the _hell_ is he doing?" Kyo demanded through the headset.

"I have no clue," he answered. His brother hadn't been to the track in ages.

Zen stared into his rearview mirror until a red Toyota Supra rounded the corner behind him, then he launched forward as it blew past, catching up before the first turn. "Kyo, who's this guy?" the driver questioned. This was supposed to be _his_ training session.

"It's Koji's son," Kyo sighed in annoyance. "I'd appreciate it if you could kick his ass. Let him know he doesn't own the place." Kicking his ass was easier said than done. Both cars were lightweight, twin-turbo, rear-wheel drive machines ideal for drifting, the new kid's specialty, but he was still learning the Supra whereas Zen had two years of experience with the RX7. Needless say he beat the newbie to the finish line, indicating he follow him into the pit where everyone converged. Kyo folded his arms and glared at the shorter, skinnier boy once he stepped out of the car. "Thanks for interrupting our practice, Zen. We really appreciate it."

He grinned. "No problem. Just thought I'd take this bad boy for a lap to make sure he's still running fine."

"It is, thanks to regular maintenance from _us_. Not that you deserve it."

"I see someone's still butt-hurt that I'm not using it to win trophies for you."

"Don't worry, my dad won't ask you to join the team ever again. We don't need you now that we have this kid." Zen gave the boy a disdainful once-over, unimpressed by his driving ability. "Minamino Nobuyuki is a two-time winner of the junior drift competition at Infineon Raceway," Kyo said proudly. "He's going to win the Urban Action Grand Prix for us this year. Right, Nobu?" He only nodded, too embarrassed and intimidated to speak. Kyo indicated Team Noctis' other newbie, a very tall guy with ice blue eyes and golden hair. "This is Higashino Jouni, but we call him Jun. He's a rallycross champion from Helsinki."

Zen snorted. "So your dad hired an American and a Finn? He must be getting desperate. Or senile."

"Keep talking shit if you want me to knock your ass out, punk." Mamoru had to reach for Kyo's arm to stop him from doing just that, but then Jun stepped between them.

"Calm down, okay?" he said in stilted Japanese. "Why do you fight?"

"Kitano seems to forget the only reason he has any of this is because of _my_ father's sponsorship."

"And Nishino seems to ignore the fact that it's _my_ dad's hard labor putting money in his pocket."

Jun hummed thoughtfully and spread his arms wide. "So both fathers are to thank then. We wouldn't be here without them. We should get along, work together to win."

It was Kyo's turn to scoff. "You don't know Zen like I do. He refuses to join the team because he thinks he's too good for us. He's content to sit on a throne watching us peasants run around for his amusement."

Zen barked an incredulous laugh. "Did it ever occur to you that maybe I'm just not into racing as much as you guys? Maybe I have my own separate interests? I'm not the prodigal son everyone wants me to be." He began gesticulating angrily. "Both of our dads have been harassing me about this for _eight years_. Eight years I haven't been able to do _anything_ without hearing 'you're wasting your potential, you're wasting your life'. You have Mamoru now so you don't even _need_ me. You just _want_ me because you think I can help you secure more victories." He fished in his pocket for a flash drive he tossed to his brother. "Here's proof I don't belong on the track, something I've been working on for the better part of a year. It's not finished yet but it should be done soon thanks to help from this girl at school. See you after exams."

When he'd disappeared over the hill the boys clustered around Mamoru, staring at the tiny device. "What is it?" Nobu finally asked.

"I don't know… Zen hasn't really spoken to me since I moved in here." They returned to the platform and plugged it into a computer used to record track data. Among several folders was a single executable file that opened the modification software. Mamoru covered his mouth, speaking through his fingers. "Am I seeing this? Is this real?"

"Explain to me," Jun said.

"This is a program we can use to build cars before we actually build them," Kyo answered, unable to keep the awe from his tone. "Did Zen really develop this? Is he a genius or something?"

"He was always good with computers… I guess this is what he meant by 'separate interests'."

They took turns playing with the program, discovering an extensive database of parts linked to manufacturers' online catalogues so it remained up-to-date. The rendering aspect didn't always present a perfect 3D model, but that was hardly something to complain about when the technical specs proved to be incredibly accurate. The program only contained production vehicles so there was no NSX for Kyo to build, but Jun managed to replicate the BMW he rallied back home and Nobu modified his dream car, a Nissan GTR.

"Jesus kid, do you see how expensive that is?" Kyo gaped when he read the estimated cost of the build. "And you want to compound the boost? That's _four_ turbos!"

"I know it's pricey, but it'd be virtually unbeatable. The GTR's nickname is Godzilla for a reason."

Mamoru shook his head. "It's not in our budget right now. You'll have to make do with something from the garage."

Nobu smiled wistfully. "I want that RX7. I fell in love with them after I saw the _Fast & Furious_ movies."

"Well keep dreaming, it's not for community use. Koji asked us to style it without any Noctis badges because Zen doesn't want to be affiliated." Mamoru looked thoughtful. "He _might_ let you drive it if he deems you worthy. You'll probably have to win Urban Action to do so."

"Heh, no pressure…"

"This is why I rally," Jun put in. "Only contest is against clock, no one else."

Kyo groaned. "Speaking of rally, I forgot to mention that some of the parts for your Evo will take another week to get here, so you can't drive it yet. It's just as well since we don't have a real off-road course for you to test it out."

Jun held up a solemn hand. "No problem, I will find logging road."

"There aren't as many around here as in Hokkaido," Mamoru said. "It's more mountainous and less populated. There would be a variety of terrain for you to practice on." He suddenly grinned. "Okay, that's what we'll do."

Everyone stared at him in confusion. "Would you care to share your revelation for those of us who aren't psychic?" Kyo dryly inquired.

"Koji has a cabin just outside Sapporo. He used to go skiing during the winter but hasn't in years, so I'm sure he wouldn't mind if we spent summer break there. It could be like a training camp for you two." Nobu and Jun made sounds of approval. "And there's an international speedway about two hours away if I'm not mistaken." Mamoru did a quick search for it, opening a course diagram. "Here it is, Tokachi."

"Ooh, it's almost fifty-one hundred meters. Look at that straight," Kyo purred. "It's not as long as Fuji but I bet these guys will let us on it without all the bullshit paperwork, especially if I bring the NSX."

"We should still call them instead of just showing up," Mamoru suggested, ever the efficient one. He spun in his chair to face his teammates. "So after we drop off the girls in Izu, we'll come back here to grab our cars and gear and take the Seikan ferry to Hokkaido."

Kyo cleared his throat. "That's all fine and dandy, but did you forget that you're suspended from driving the LFA?" Mamoru's expression fell; he totally had. "There's not really a point in _you_ going if you can't prepare for NGT."

"Of course he has to come with us!" Nobu exclaimed. "This is his idea!"

"I guess I can _try_ convincing my dad to take you off probation…" But Tatsuo was a hard-ass and wouldn't change his mind.

"No, that's okay. I'll just bring something to help Nobu. He needs to get used to competition."

Kyo scoffed. "No offense, but you suck at drifting."

"All the better for keeping him on his toes," Mamoru returned.

* * *

Minako knocked on the door of the Tsukino residence, twisting from side to side. Usagi's mother, Ikuko, answered it with a smile and invited her in. "Mina's here!" she called upstairs. "Better not keep her waiting!" The woman proffered a tray of assorted fruit tarts and she selected a blueberry one, groaning in delight as she bit into it.

"Your idea of breakfast is second to none, Okaa-san."

Ikuko beamed. "Thank you, Mina-chan. You make sure to keep an eye on my daughter, alright? She's liable to fall in a creek."

An indignant gasp came from above them. "I am not, Mom! I'm not as klutzy as I used to be!"

"But you _did_ fall off the DDR stage when we were at the arcade," Minako pointed out, earning a friendly push. She waited while Usagi hugged her parents and waved goodbye to her brother, who hid at the top of the stairs. He had a huge crush on the glamorous blonde and didn't want her to see him get all flustered being in her proximity. "Bye Shingo!" Minako blew him a kiss and giggled when his face turned bright pink.

"You're so mean to him," Usagi said once they were outside. "He knows he'll never have a chance with you."

"His odds are about as good as our parents finding out where we're actually going on vacation."

"So, possible but highly unlikely?" Her friend nodded. "I kinda feel bad for lying to them about going on the class trip, but they didn't even want to listen when I brought up the beach house. It's like they don't believe we're old enough to take care of ourselves for a couple weeks."

"That's _exactly_ what my parents said, but they added I'd be a bad influence on you guys. How rude is that?" She rolled her eyes as Usagi laughed. Minako _was_ a bad influence when she tried hooking her friends up with random male Instagram followers. Ami and Rei absolutely refused her attempts to get them boyfriends and Makoto preferred interacting with people in person, but Usagi had agreed to a few blind dates in the past. Now she knew better than to indulge Minako's matchmaking tendencies because the dates usually consisted of ogling and creepy comments.

They stepped off the train near the Hikawa Shrine, which was managed by Rei's grandfather. Her cover story was that she hadn't seen him in a long time and wanted to help him prepare for the summer festival. Her father, Takashi, agreed without a second thought. When Rei informed her grandfather of her scheme he praised her cleverness; he'd been quite mischievous in his youth and was a little disappointed by his son's seriousness and diligence. That intense focus was likely what led Hino Takashi to a position in the National Diet.

Just after Ami arrived a convoy of coupes came roaring down the road and stopped outside the shrine, dispensing five young men as attractive as their vehicles. "Usagi-chan, _this_ is who you got to take us to Izu?" Rei gawked. "I thought you'd found someone with a van or something!"

"Only the best for you, princess." The boy who said this lifted his shades and held out his hand. "I'm Jun, and you're riding with me."

"O-oh, okay…" Rei slipped a dainty hand into his while the other went to her chest to calm her suddenly-pounding heart. His eyes were bluer than the sky and utterly captivating. It was a good thing he wore sunglasses because Rei knew she'd run out of breath if she kept gazing into them.

"I call the Lotus!" Minako declared, skipping up to the red and black car whose roof Kyo rested on. His brow rose in surprise as she beamed at him. "Is this the special edition?"

"Uh, yeah… How'd you know that?" It had been his experience that girls didn't know anything about cars much less high performance ones.

She waved flippantly. "I spent a year abroad in England. One of my friends took me across the water to see a race in Nürburg and it was really cool. Afterwards we got to meet the teams."

"You've been to _Nürburgring?_ " Kyo breathed. It was his dream to compete on that track, but he and Mamoru had yet to escape the confines of Japan. "My dad set a course record there before he retired. You don't know how jealous I am right now."

Minako laughed. "You shouldn't be! You're the one that gets to drive this sexy car!" Didn't she know that praising a man's ride was the fastest way to his heart? "I'm Aino Minako. Thanks a lot for taking us to the peninsula."

"No problem. I'm Kitano Kyosuke." He stared while the girl buckled her seatbelt. She was either _ganguro_ or a model judging by her long blonde hair, lightly tanned skin, and pink contacts. His eyes slid from her rhinestone-adorned shirt to her denim miniskirt, down her shapely legs and back up to her face where he found her regarding him narrowly and somewhat smugly. "Um, are you a model?"

"Maybe someday, but not right now," Minako answered. "Is that why you were checking me out?"

"I… thought I recognized you." Kyo directed his gaze straight ahead at Mamoru's spoiler, praying they would leave right now so he could focus on the road and not the ridiculously hot girl he had no idea how to talk to.

Makoto was the last one to claim a vehicle, leaving her with a rather muscular boy by default. He had a fauxhawk and a small hoop in one eyebrow. He moved around to the passenger side and opened the door for her, prompting her to get in. "Thank you…" she said in a small voice. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? It's not like cars were the same thing as airplanes. But from what Usagi said they were capable of going very, very fast, and increased speed meant an increased chance of crashing. "What's your name?" Makoto inquired.

"Minamino Nobuyuki. I just go by Nobu."

"Nobuyuki, like… from Samurai Warriors?"

"Exactly like that," he answered with a note of shame. "My folks are huge nerds."

"No, that's amazing. I love that series."

The comment earned her a partial smile, then Nobu had to concentrate on following Zen's lead as the convoy pulled away from the shrine and entered the metro. It was fairly early in the morning, 7:30 to be exact, and the drive to Izu Peninsula lasted about two hours in an average commuter car. But they weren't driving gutless gas-savers. Nobu opted to take a Toyota 86 from the garage because it hadn't received any modifications yet and would provide the most comfortable journey for him and his passenger, a girl he sort of knew even though she hadn't introduced herself. He attended Azabu High with Kino Makoto and two of her friends but they were all in different classes.

Makoto cleared her throat once they got on the expressway. "How old are you, Nobu-kun?"

"Sixteen."

"And you can _drive?_ " she gasped.

That little smile returned. "I'm not actually from here, from Japan I mean. I grew up in San Diego, California."

"Oh wow, so you have an American license?" His head bobbed. "Did you have a car there?"

"Yeah, a crappy Honda. This one is a big step up but it's not what I really want. I'm still grateful that Tatsuo hired me… but it seems I have a lot of expectations to meet."

Makoto had no idea what he was talking about ( _'thanks, Usagi'_ ) so he filled her in on Team Noctis and the goals for its current members. She'd heard of the Urban Action Grand Prix, a drift competition consisting of five random courses all over Tokyo where people and vendors lined the streets for a full weekend. The event was basically a giant block party but it never came to the quiet neighborhood of Azabujūban. "What else did you do in America besides drift?" Makoto inquired.

"Oh, I have a bunch of hobbies," Nobu answered. "I was on the football, basketball and volleyball teams freshman year, I play the drums and guitar, I like drawing and cooking, and my mom is teaching me how to sew… don't laugh!"

Her snicker changed to a playful smirk. "That saying about idle hands comes to mind."

"Heh, yeah… I fidget like a madman if they're not doing something. That's why I like driving so much. One hand steers, one hand shifts, everything's good." He sighed happily; it was nice having someone to talk to besides the guys. "What do _you_ do in your free time, Makoto?"

"Well, I work at a flower shop near my apartment… I live by myself because my parents are gone." Nobu shot her a worried look. "They passed away in a plane crash when I was young. I had a benefactor, but now that I'm allowed to work I do everything myself. I like cooking and sewing too, and playing video games, and I'm in the martial arts club at school. And I've been thinking about getting a kitten." She felt her face heat up. Was that too much information? Did he even care?

"A kitten, huh? I can take you to the animal shelter when we all get back from summer break."

Makoto trained her verdant eyes on the boy. "That's so nice of you to offer. I guess I need your number now."

"You mean you _weren't_ going to ask for it?" He waggled an eyebrow, making her laugh. "Kidding. I do think you're really cool, though." They sat there basking in one another's mutual coolness until the RX7 abruptly revved, darted to one side, and dropped back behind him. Nobu almost did the same, thinking there was something wrong with Zen's car, but then he saw him pacing the Lotus. "Oh great, here we go again with the dick-waving."

Two cars behind him, Mamoru growled. "God dammit, I specifically told everyone _not_ to screw around like this."

"What's happening?" Usagi asked, her eyes wide and full of worry.

"He's trying to goad Kyo into a race. Well, now he gets to deal with me, too." Mamoru eased off the throttle, pulling back to the right until he was even with Zen and Kyo. He could see the latter's head turning from side to side, wondering what the fuck was going on. Mamoru said not to race, but Zen clearly wanted to, and now they were traveling in a perfect line down a mostly-empty road. They saw Jun lower his passenger side window. Rei's arm appeared, a scarf she wasn't fond of held in her hand, and when she let it go the immediate atmosphere became filled with roaring engines as all three of them downshifted for acceleration and redlined before reentering their final gears.

Zen beat them to the highway exit where they pulled into the median to wait for Jun and Nobu. Surprisingly they were still going the speed limit which made it easy to get back into formation. Talking on the phone while driving could earn him a punch on his license, but Mamoru did it anyway. "What the hell were you thinking, Zen?"

"Don't blame me, the little speed demon in my car wanted to see how fast it could go." He sounded so happy about it.

"You didn't have to jump on Kyo. You know your car is the fastest one here."

"Actually I _didn't_ know that, but now I do." Mamoru heard him preening. "The windshield started vibrating after 300. I'm getting that fixed."

"You are the most arrogant driver I've ever met."

"Hey, you guys can be arrogant too. You're the ones who created this monster." A pause. "Ami's scowling at me, we can talk again when we get to Usami. Try not to eat too much of my dust."

Mamoru glared at his phone before stowing it with a grumble. He could see Usagi grinning in his peripheral vision. "I take it you find this amusing?"

She waved her hands. "Oh no, I don't think your lack of restraint when it comes to anything speed-related is funny. It's your brother's attitude."

"He's an overconfident prick and if Kyo and I were in our race cars we would have smoked him." He let his fingers slide to the bottom of the steering wheel, sighing. "I get why everyone is annoyed with him. Zen has skill, _real_ skill, and he's not using it for anything useful. But I'm determined to be the one person who doesn't push him. If everyone stopped, maybe he'd join Noctis on his own. Maybe he'd realize the thrill of coming in first on the track is a lot more satisfying that beating someone in a street race. I know he doesn't want to be like Kyo, following exactly in his father's footsteps. He's trying to do his own thing but I feel he secretly loves the limelight, that's why he keeps showing off for us."

Usagi considered everything she knew. "Maybe you could make him a deal." Mamoru glanced at her. "Get everyone together and ask him to participate with Noctis for one season, just one, and you guys will never bother him about it again."

"There'd have to be another incentive. He already has that car, a kick-ass bike, and all the money he could ever want or need."

"Well, what _doesn't_ he have?"

Mamoru thought for a long time. He grew up with Zen, went to the same schools as him. They'd both been popular thanks to the Nishino fortune and Mamoru had learned early on how to tolerate the people who wanted to be affiliated with their name. But Zen hadn't; he shut himself away under the assumption nobody really cared about him, just his wealth. And that was the answer. "Friends," Mamoru stated. "Zen has never had friends."

"There you go." Usagi wore the gentlest smile he'd ever seen. "Show him how amazing it feels to race with a team of friends."


	3. Idle

**Chapter Three: Idle**

It was nothing short of impressive how much Kyo had been able to learn about Minako from her Instagram. She had a rather strained relationship with her parents (Misaki: housewife and Yoshiro: salaryman) because she didn't get very good marks in school and her mom didn't want her to be confined to a mundane life like her own. She had a white cat named Artemis and a Welsh Corgi named Pepper. In addition to being a member of her school's volleyball team she participated in gymnastics at a local training center. She was interested in fashion and cosmetics as evidenced by the abundance of glamour portraits and Outfit of the Day posts. Minako liked wearing pink or purple contacts to enhance her feminine aesthetic, but there was one picture from the early days of her account that showed she naturally had dark brown hair, hazel eyes, and a smattering of freckles still visible through her tan. And Kyo wasn't the only one who thought she should model; she had just over 250,000 followers commenting the same thing.

He really appreciated the copious amount of bikini pictures she was uploading and felt a twinge of guilt for ogling her when he was supposed to be driving the NSX around Tokachi at breakneck speed. **Really nice pics** Kyo texted while sitting in the raceway pits. He had been giving his car an oil change when she sent the link to her account. That was an hour ago.

 **Which one's your fave?** Minako instantly replied.

 **I like all your Mermaid Monday looks. Very artistic.**

 **Thanks! Those are really fun for me. Sucks I can't go out in public like that, though.**

 **Why not?**

 **Because people would stare!** He didn't really understand how that was different than being seen by over a quarter-million people online, but okay. **How's your vacation? What are you up to?** He tapped his phone against his lips before deciding to send her a selfie. **Is that a Lambo behind you?**

 **Acura NSX** **prototype** he replied.

 **No way! Send more pics please!** Kyo obliged, methodically capturing every angle of his prized vehicle. **How'd you get that car? What are you doing with it?**

 **Racing** he said simply. Minako proceeded to send him a barrage of questions in one of the longest texts he'd ever received. He answered them all succinctly and hit send. A minute went by without a response, then five, then fifteen. After half an hour Kyo assumed she'd gone back to enjoying the beach and resumed his oil change. Not long after Mamoru and Nobu pulled into the pits, their laps finished. Jun was off on some mountain with his brand-new Evo and would meet them back at the cabin for dinner.

"You're _still_ not done?" Mamoru asked, aghast.

"I got distracted," Kyo mumbled.

"By what?"

Before he could answer, Nobu swiped his phone and snooped through it, grinning as he handed it to Mamoru. "If I came across these I think it'd take me almost two hours to do an oil change, too." Kyo blushed profusely but otherwise ignored the remark.

Mamoru flicked through some of Minako's vacation photos before raising an eyebrow at his teammate. "Don't even try throwing my words back at me," Kyo said lowly. "I'm just looking, not developing _feelings_ or anything."

An awkward silence followed, stretching until Nobu cleared his throat. "I'm gonna find Zen since he has all the food. Do you guys want anything?" He received harmonized grunts of denial and made his way to the building behind the bleachers, knocking on the door to the announcer's booth where Zen had taken up residence during their time at Tokachi. He only agreed to come because he allegedly had nothing better to do during summer vacation, like he couldn't afford to jet off anywhere in the world. Kyo wasn't very happy that Zen brought a bunch of equipment to spy on them from his high perch, but he was the only member of the team who didn't appreciate the performance footage and data being collected for review.

"You looked pretty good out there, kid," Zen commented as Nobu rifled through the fridge. "You have a nice handle on the Supra."

"Thanks. It feels a lot different than my old Honda."

He laughed and shook his head. "I can't believe you won at Infineon in a Civic. _Twice_. But to be fair, at least it was a Type R." He looked back over his shoulder. "What did you do with it when you moved here?"

"Sold it to a friend." Nobu cracked a soda and sat down in the other chair, eyeing the recordings of his run with Mamoru. The Porsche definitely had the capability to surpass him but Mamoru _really_ wasn't a good drifter, so he ended up in a cloud of tire smoke more often than not.

"Do you miss them?" Zen inquired.

"Yeah, a lot. And my girlfriend, Natalie." He made a sound of interest so Nobu showed him a picture.

"She's very pretty."

"Yeah, and she's a great singer. She's in choir but also joined this garage band one of my other friends started. They wrote me a song before I left. It's really cheesy or I'd play it for you." Zen laughed again. "Mamoru and Kyo don't have girlfriends, do they?"

"Kyo has been single his whole life, but Mamoru dated a girl two years ago who I think traumatized him. She was into some weird kinky stuff."

"I see…" Nobu muttered. This information supported his theory that their arguments regarding female distractions likely stemmed from sexual frustration. He couldn't speak for everyone of course, but getting laid on a regular basis was a great way to relieve stress which Kyo and Mamoru seemed to be suffering from.

Hours later the five boys reconvened at the small cabin southeast of Sapporo. Jun was in charge of their meal today, offering to make spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread in lieu of the delivery or takeout they'd been subsisting on. He almost started humming the melody his mom did whenever they made dinner together but stopped because it immediately made him feel homesick. Never in a million years had he anticipated moving to Japan to live with his father while pursuing a career in professional rallycross. It had always been a hobby for him, just messing around in hoopties with his friends as a way to pass time. Then his mom bought him a BMW M3 for his birthday, something he actually _wanted_ to take care of and be seen in. Jun could have had it shipped to Tokyo but to be honest he had no qualms about using and abusing the cars Noctis was willing to provide.

Several miles south the girls were also preparing for dinner, though theirs was a group effort. "Mako-chan, why?!" Usagi wailed. "I asked you not to put onions in it!"

"They're just for flavor," she reassured. "We added your zucchini even though I don't like it and you don't see _me_ complaining." She waited patiently while Ami, Rei and Minako finished chopping vegetables for their baked _en papillote_ dish, then drizzled in a maple miso sauce and popped it into the oven alongside a fillet of salmon. They took their meal outside and ate with the waves as background music, keeping the chatter to a minimum as they savored each bite. The other girls tended the dishes while Makoto finalized the touches on chocolate lava cakes for each of them, dusting the morsels with powdered sugar and mint leaf garnishes.

"Omigod Mako-chan, this is amazing," Minako gushed. Much to everyone else's surprise she had refrained from posting pictures of their food online, but everything else was fair game: tanning sessions, hikes, volleyball and Frisbee games, trips into town… There were some moments she preferred to keep between her friends though, like watching the sunset every night.

"Back to school the day after tomorrow," Usagi sighed. "At least we were able to get away for a little while. Thanks for inviting us, Ami-chan." The others echoed her sentiment.

Rei cleared her throat. "Speaking of back to school, how exactly are we going to get home?" Everyone turned to look at Usagi as her expression utterly fell. "You didn't plan that far ahead, did you?"

"I-it's fine! Mamoru and the guys can come get us!"

"Except they're all the way up in Hokkaido," Minako said.

Usagi continued staring straight ahead so she wouldn't have to see the varying looks of disappointment and worry on her friends' faces, and her voice came out small. "I'm sure they wouldn't mind…"

"Gas isn't exactly cheap, you know," Makoto chastised. "It was already a huge favor asking them to bring us here. If they pick us up _again_ we'd have to do something to pay them back."

"If we pooled our allowances we could reimburse them for travel costs," Ami diplomatically suggested. "Or maybe, I don't know… offer to wash their cars?"

"Not in bikinis I hope," Rei grumbled.

* * *

"Thank you for bringing us home!" Usagi said once everyone had been dropped off at the Hikawa Shrine. The girls all bowed to their respective drivers.

"It wasn't a problem," Mamoru replied. "Thank _you_ for offering to help us out at the garage. See you all on Saturday, and make sure to wear clothes you don't mind dirtying." They waved goodbye and drove away, then Usagi hung her head in front of her friends. "Sorry my short-sightedness is going to cost us a weekend."

Makoto shrugged. "It's fine. Hard work never killed anyone."

"Tell that to my manicure!" Minako protested.

Other murmurings of discontent increased Usagi's guilt; it really was stupid of her not to have arranged a way for them to return to Tokyo. But at least the boys were able to rescue them in a timely manner, cementing their status as dependable acquaintances. Usagi also had to admit that she felt a rush of excitement at having another opportunity to ride with Mamoru. Their conversation flowed easily and consistently during the drive, and the way he talked about cars made her look forward to the day she could get her license whereas most of her friends had little to no interest. Smiling at what the future held, she shifted in the bus seat to give Makoto more room to nap. The brunette was justifiably tired since she had done the most work cleaning the beach house. Apparently Nobu was taking her to the animal shelter at some point to adopt a kitten, an idea Usagi was totally on board with. She loved all creatures cute and furry but she couldn't have pets because her dad was allergic.

Over in Koto ward Zen parked his car in an underground garage and hefted his belongings onto an elevator that took him all the way up to the two-story penthouse of a ritzy apartment complex. "Dad, I'm home," he announced, pausing to hear where the answer came from.

"Welcome back!" Koji called. In his study, as usual. "Did you have a good time?"

"More or less," Zen shrugged. "There's not really a point going to Hokkaido when it isn't winter. That reminds me, I'd like to get a new snowboard before the season begins. I've outgrown my old one."

Koji smiled ruefully. "Well, it _has_ been three years since we last went. I just don't have time to ski anymore."

"Maybe you should sell the cabin then."

"I won't if you'll start using it again." The boy nodded once. "How did the team do? Are they shaping up to win?"

"Kyosuke and Minamino are, but it's hard to say with the other new guy since I didn't see him drive."

"Mm, that's good to hear. Tatsuo told me he earned a couple new sponsors for Urban Action, Toyo and AEM, but he lost K1."

"So now they need uniforms." Zen sighed before looking his father squarely in the eye. "Dad, we need to have a meeting with Kitano. Tell him to come over so we can talk."

Koji stared at his son in bewilderment. Zen was spoiled, certainly, but he never _demanded_ anything. He acquiesced and contacted Tatsuo, greeting him as he apprehensively entered the study. "Is everything okay? I was told there weren't any injuries or malfunctions during your training camp."

"Everything's fine, Kitano-san," the boy replied, "I just wanted to discuss something with you and my father regarding Noctis." The two men shared an uncertain glance. That was always the _last_ thing Zen wanted to talk about. "For years everyone has been saying I belong on the team, that I'm wasting my potential if I don't join. Watching Kyosuke, Mamoru and the others train made me realize you might be right."

His elders shared another glance, one of hope. "Are you saying you want to become an official member of Team Noctis?"

Zen nodded. "I do… but on certain conditions." The men were beaming; _finally_ the other prodigal son would uphold their legacy! "The first condition is that I replace Kitano-san as team manager. I want to be in charge of every decision affecting our professional image."

"You can't be serious," Koji scoffed. "It's Tatsuo's team. He's done everything to get it this far."

"I'm aware of that, but I think there's something to be said for the fact that he hasn't been able to maintain sponsors for more than a year at a time. No one wants to invest in _his_ team."

Tatsuo scowled. "And you think _you_ can change that, Zenjirou? What do you even know about marketing?"

"I know enough to have major tech firms vying for the rights to distribute the modification software I developed, and I know what my father has taught me in preparation for inheriting his company." He let that hang in the air a moment. "The fact of the matter is, Kitano-san, you're afraid to make bold moves because of the financial risk. And that brings me to my second condition– I want West End to provide an unlimited budget for a period of one year beginning when I sign the managerial contract."

Koji regarded his son's audacity with a mixture of awe and anger. "What about Tatsuo?" he inquired, desperate to protect his best friend. "You can't just let him go."

Zen held up his hands. "Oh no, of course not, he's too valuable. Kitano-san would be assigned to the position of head mechanic. He _does_ have a garage to run, after all, which could use new tools, lifts, and machining equipment. I want him to make use of that automotive engineering degree by designing proprietary mods for some of our vehicles."

"Condition three, I assume." Koji sighed heavily. It was getting harder to say 'no' when every point was infallibly logical.

"The last thing I want is a return to international competition. You've kept Noctis confined to Japan for too long, missed out on so many opportunities because of Mamoru and Kyosuke's limited abilities. That's why you brought in Jouni and Nobuyuki, right? Performing abroad will keep us from stagnating, and West End is the ideal means to take us around the globe." Zen sat back in his chair as the men contemplated his propositions. He had only come up with them over summer vacation when it became apparent that Tatsuo's lacking leadership was doing more harm to the team than good. If they agreed to try things his way, Zen was positive that within one year Team Noctis would become as recognized and respected as it had been in its heyday.

Returning to school on Monday felt surreal, like no one really belonged there. The weather was so nice that teachers came up with any excuse to get their students outside. Usagi's art class took place in the garden, Makoto's home economics instructor gave a lesson on proper grilling technique, and for P.E. Minako's class got to swim in the outdoor pool while Nobu's engaged in a friendly game of hide & seek. Over at Kougei Ami had lunch with Mamoru and Zen beneath flowering trees, and Rei came upon an unexpected sight in the courtyard of her private school. "Jun?" she asked, earning his attention in addition to that of three giggling girls situated around him. "What are you doing here?"

"My dad enrolled me," he answered. "It's my first day here."

Rei's heart fluttered at the way he amiably regarded her with his too-blue eyes, but it couldn't be more than a passing fancy. All she knew about Jouni Higashino was that he'd been born and raised in Finland, his dad lived in Tokyo, and he raced cars off-road. "In that case, welcome to St. Teresa's International Academy. What classes do you have?"

The boy removed a crumpled schedule from his back pocket. "World History, Personal Finance, Intermediate Japanese, Algebra II, Chemistry, and a free period." He tilted his head and gave her a little smile. "Japanese class is hard. I'm looking for a tutor." One of the girls got up and left, the other two following a moment later. Rei furrowed her brow at the way they glared at her. They were mistaken if they thought she was flirting with Jun.

"Most tutors require payment for their time," she informed him, "but as it happens I also have a free period after my current events class. It starts at eleven-thirty."

"So does mine," the boy grinned.

Rei pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and tried not to roll her eyes. "Do you want me to help you learn better Japanese or not?"

"I'd love that. Thanks a lot, Rei."

"Hino-san," she corrected.

When Jun stood up he loomed over her, still giving her a lopsided smile. "See you tomorrow then, Hino-san. Let's meet in the library, okay?" She nodded and left. The boy watched her walk until she disappeared into the building, admiring her perfect ass all the while. Rei was attractive but seemed a little uptight, so it'd be interesting to see what she was like when not being the Perfect Daughter.

* * *

"So this is the place, huh?" Makoto's eyes slowly swept across the frontage of Noctis Automotive Performance. "It doesn't really seem like the home of a professional racing team."

"This is just one part of it," Usagi explained. "The building has lots of different sections." She went through the door to find Mamoru manning the sales counter.

"Hey, you're early." He was glad to see the girls in clothes that didn't appear overtly trendy. "Come on back and we'll find you some gloves." Usagi practically skipped into the little room holding employee lockers while her friends trailed apprehensively. Mamoru had to scrounge around to find five pairs of extra small gloves, but on the plus side they were virtually brand-new and not yet covered in automotive fluids or missing fingers like his own. The girls then followed him into the center of the complex. "Alright, we have a full day's worth of general maintenance appointments so it'd be great if two of you could assist those mechanics."

"I'll do it!" Minako called, raising her hand as if in class. Makoto agreed to accompany her.

"We're also in the process of modifying cars for a couple high-end clients, so if one of you wants to work with diagnostic tools and the dyno…" Ami stepped forward at that, interested in anything requiring analytics. "Great, go see Kyo and Jun in the middle bay. What else is there… Oh, the cars we took to Hokkaido need washing." He pointed to a covered area where Nobu was rinsing off the mud-caked Mitsubishi Evolution. Rei wordlessly made her way over to him as Usagi smiled up at Mamoru. "That leaves you and I with the store. We just got a shipment of parts we need to stock, and we can take turns answering the phone."

"Sounds fun!" the girl chirped.

Sometime later, after Tatsuo had finished his third cup of coffee that day, he wandered outside to check on his employees and saw some of them standing by while two girls beat a Toyota truck's CV axle into submission. His mechanics were absolutely enraptured by the sight of grease-and-sweat-covered females in their workspace and took no notice as he crept up behind them. "Get back to work," Tatsuo growled, stifling a chuckle as they practically leaped out of their skins. He sipped his coffee and moved on to the other bays, noting yet another female leaning over the engine of a Skyline with a laptop balanced on her forearm. There was also a girl in the cleaning stall and one more scheduling an oil change for a customer in the lobby. Tatsuo hummed thoughtfully, recalling that his son had mentioned something about some girls who owed his drivers a favor. They appeared to be getting more work done than his actual employees.

Once the Skyline was finished Kyo drove it out to the customer parking lot and contacted the owner about picking it up. He then moved an imported Subaru BRZ into the bay so he and Jun could install a turbo kit, but before they got started they desperately needed something to eat. Ami checked the time on her watch and balked; four hours had seemingly passed in the blink of an eye. "That's usually how it is when you're focused on projects like this," Kyo said to her as the three of them made their way to the lounge.

"The way you build cars doesn't seem so different from building computers." Jun's eyebrows rose with interest and she blushed. "It just seems like a matter of putting parts together in the right order and ensuring they function correctly once fully assembled."

Kyo smiled at her. "That's basically it, Mizuno-chan. Thanks for helping us with the laptop, by the way."

Ami stared at her toes. "I just changed some of the diagnostic parameters…" She was spared further compliments when her friends and their male counterparts arrived.

"God, I'm _starving_ ," Minako remarked while dropping into an armchair. She and Makoto were filthy. "Getting that stupid axle in was such a pain."

Kyo frowned. "Souta and Hideo didn't help you?"

"They told us how to do it while they did the brakes on another car," Makoto explained. "We had a diagram so it wasn't _that_ difficult."

"Still, they're the ones getting paid to work here." He helped Mamoru hand out beverages from the fridge before claiming a stool at the bar. "I'm going to order pizza. What does everyone like?"

"Don't bother," said a new voice from the rear of the room. Everyone turned toward Zen as he descended from the stairs leading to the office above them opposite Mamoru's little apartment. "I already ordered a dozen. They're on the way."

"Zen-san!" Ami sounded both surprised and pleased to see him. "What are you doing here?"

"Working," he said simply. Kyo scoffed and turned away while the girls regarded him in confusion. "I suppose no one has told you yet that I'm the new manager of Team Noctis."

Kyo tried to tune out Zen's annoying voice, but it didn't work since the conversation between him and the girls was actually interesting. Apparently he'd been redesigning the Noctis website since eight o'clock that morning, when the garage opened. He added some customer testimonials to the business half of the site and driver profiles to the professional half, including details of their cars. Mamoru questioned the decision; Zen explained that transparency was an important step toward earning more sponsors. "And speaking of sponsors, I'd like some help making a list of companies to contact."

Here was an opportunity for Kyo to strike. "My dad got AEM and Toyo before you _stole_ his job."

Zen looked at him passively. "I didn't steal anything, he agreed to transfer the managerial contract to me. If I don't end up accomplishing the goals we agreed upon by this time next year, he'll be in charge again." Kyo was unaware of this detail and mumbled something that sounded vaguely like acquiescence. "So any ideas for sponsors?"

They brainstormed for a good ten minutes, then the pizza arrived and suddenly the lounge reached its capacity as the other mechanics arrived to stuff their faces. Mamoru snagged a box and held it above everyone's heads as he pushed his way through the starving throng to the door with the numerical lock, catching Usagi's eye and summoning her to his side. They slipped into the home of Noctis' flagship cars, looked at each other, and shared a laugh. Mamoru found two stools for them to sit on and they ate while balancing the pizza box atop their knees. "I'm glad you don't mind plain cheese, I just grabbed one at random."

"My parents don't order pizza very much so I'll take what I can get," Usagi said with a smile. A gob of mozzarella dripped off her slice and into her wide-open mouth, making Mamoru chuckle. "What?"

 _'You're adorable.'_ He just shook his head and turned to stare longingly at the LFA, knowing he'd never take it for granted again. And because his suspension had nothing to do with Usagi, Mamoru didn't want to dismiss his developing feelings for her like Kyo said he should. "Hey, so, my birthday is coming up in a few days…" The girl's eyes widened with intrigue. "I was wondering if you'd like to go karting with me. The park also has a huge arcade and some rides."

She checked the calendar on her phone. "The third is a Wednesday so I can't stay out that late. Nine o'clock is my unspoken curfew on school days."

"Don't worry, I can't be out late either. I could pick you up at four, we'll spend a few hours at the park, and I'll drop you off at home around eight. How does that sound?"

"Perfect!" Usagi grinned, earning a smile from the boy in turn. She added the appointment to her calendar. "August third, four o'clock, Mamoru's birthday. I won't miss it for the world."

When Tuesday rolled around Usagi headed into the shopping center instead of catching up with Minako and Makoto after school, feeling a little guilty until she saw that Nobu had taken her place. Maybe he and Makoto were going to the animal shelter to adopt her kitten, _finally_. Usagi decided to get the purry-furry a present too, growing dismayed when it turned out to be a lot easier shopping for a cat than the boy she was crushing on. She knew Mamoru pretty well on the surface but had no idea if he was genuinely interested in anything besides cars and racing. She hadn't even seen him in clothes besides his school uniform or mechanic's jumpsuit so she couldn't go the fashion route. Nobu, Jun, and Kyo all had piercings (eyebrow, nose, and ears respectively) but even if Mamoru did too she wouldn't have been comfortable giving him body jewelry.

Usagi wandered around downtown in a slump until passing by Crown Game Center, which never failed to cheer her up. She went inside and saw that some new machines had been installed since the night of her fateful encounter with Mamoru. She caught sight of her brother with a few of his friends and snuck up on them. "Shingo!" she said while pinching his side, making him yelp, "It's so good to see you outside your room for once!"

"Shut up, sis," he grouched. His friends had gone all starry-eyed in her presence already. Usagi had top scores on several machines and it was well known that girls who were actually good at video games were never pretty, so she was like a goddess to them. "Shouldn't you be doing homework or something?"

"I could ask the same thing of you!" she retorted, earning a scowl, "But I won't because homework sucks. And since I ran into you, maybe you can help me with something." The boys shifted closer out of curiosity and fascination. "I need to find a present for my friend, a guy friend. I can't show up to his party empty-handed."

"Do Mom and Dad know about this 'guy friend'?" Shingo rolled his eyes when Usagi blushed. "It's not Chiba-sama, is it?"

"Err… no?"

"It totally is!" a bespectacled boy crowed. "We think it's so cool that you know him, Usagi-san!" Several heads bobbed in agreement, then another boy grabbed her hand and pulled her over to a brand-new launcher game with gadgets for prizes. "If you shoot the disc into the top slot you get to choose from all the prizes, but it's _really_ narrow."

"We were trying to get the Vita but none of us are tall enough to line up the perfect shot. I bet _you_ can do it, Usagi-san!"

She surrendered her school bag and fed 5000 yen to the machine; it cost 1000 per play so she had five chances to win something cool. She stuck her tongue out in concentration while the four boys clustered around her, fogging up the lower half of the case with their anticipatory breathing. After missing the first two shots she made a minute adjustment and squeezed the trigger, the boys gasping as the disc bounced off the very edge of the topmost slot. She moved the launcher by a hair, fired, and almost couldn't comprehend when the disc went in and lights began flashing. Shingo and his friends made enough of a ruckus to summon the handsome employee named Motoki. "Congratulations, you're the first person to win the grand prize… which is technically any prize! Pick whatever you want!"

He waited patiently with the keys while Usagi surveyed the offerings and her supporters kept shouting suggestions. "I think I want… the wireless headphones."

"You're gonna give them to Chiba-sama, aren't you?" Shingo whispered. "I think he'll like them." Usagi hoped so. Once Motoki locked the case again the launcher reset, but since she still had a play left she managed to shoot the disc into one of the higher slots and let her brother choose a prize, earning eternal admiration from his friends. She left the game center with an awesome birthday present for Mamoru and a fun story to share with him tomorrow.


	4. Accelerate

**Chapter Four: Accelerate**

Usagi tried on several outfits before choosing one that was both cute and functional: lace-trimmed camisole, crop top, leggings, ruffled miniskirt. She heard the Porsche pull up outside and hastily affixed some earrings, throwing a few cosmetics into her purse in the event a touch-up was required. The headphones were waiting in a gift bag downstairs which she snagged after stepping into her cleanest shoes. "Bye everyone, I won't be back too late!"

"Have fun!" her parents chorused, and Shingo just made some kind of loud, noncommittal noise.

Mamoru awaited her on the sidewalk, dressed in a black button-down, dark jeans, white sneakers, and a watch around his left wrist. It was a very plain, practical ensemble but Usagi found it attractive; black really suited him and made him stand out against the pearl-white coupe. Mamoru opened the passenger door for her, eyeing the present on her lap once situated in the driver's seat. "That better not be for me," he said shyly.

"Of course it is. You generally receive presents on your birthday." She handed it over and he gingerly removed the tissue paper, arriving at his gift with a gasp.

"You can't give me these, Usagi-chan. They must have cost a fortune!"

" _Actually_ they were practically free." Mamoru quirked an eyebrow as she adopted a dramatic tone. "There I was, wandering aimlessly around town in search of the perfect present for you. I made my way into Crown Game Center where I came upon my little brother and his friends. They showed me a new game full of amazing prizes, certain I'd be able to win one. I put a single bill into the machine, lined up the perfect shot, and fired. Those headphones are the result of my excellent marksmanship." She grinned. "Really, that's exactly how it happened. There weren't any gadgets I particularly wanted so I chose something for you instead!"

Mamoru shook his head in amazement. "That's a great story, Usagi-chan. Thank you for thinking of me." He stowed his present behind the passenger seat and faced the girl again, her glowing smile blotting out the rest of the world. "You look really pretty, by the way. How did you get your hair like that?" If the twin buns were any taller they would have resembled rabbit ears.

"It's not as complicated as it looks. I only used two large rollers, bobby pins, and a _lot_ of hairspray. Seriously, don't sniff me– I probably smell like a chemical factory." Mamoru laughed while pulling away from the curb. If he sat there admiring her much longer they'd run out of daylight.

Surprisingly the amusement park was not at all crowded and he easily found a parking space. "Nice car!" a blond tourist called as they went to the ticket booth, Mamoru acknowledging the compliment with a wave. Usagi glanced around once they'd been admitted. "Where's everyone else?"

His brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I assumed you were having a party here with all your friends."

"Oh, no… Celebrating my birthday has always been a solo affair."

"So it's just us?" For some reason this made her stomach flutter.

"Yeah." Mamoru gave her a gentle look and held out his hand, which she accepted tentatively. "I'm not much of a cake-and-presents kind of guy, but I really appreciate the headphones. Thank you again."

Usagi hoped he couldn't see her red cheeks. "Thanks for inviting me to your ultra-exclusive birthday party." Mamoru led her into the arcade first, exchanging a bill for a handful of tokens. For a good half hour they played shooting, fighting and rhythm games, but the boy's not-so-furtive glances at the opposite wall didn't escape Usagi's attention. "Do you wanna race?"

"I thought you'd never ask," he beamed, staking a claim amidst a row of eight linked machines. Usagi sat in the end chair and selected a pink car with automatic controls, then a person in the middle, the victor of the last race, chose their track. A ten second countdown appeared and Usagi pushed back into the chair, holding her arms stick-straight as her foot hovered above the gas pedal. It was just a stupid game but the outcome seemed a lot more important with Mamoru beside her. He won, of course, handling the digital car as easily as if it were real. Since winners didn't have to pay to play the next round he surrendered his machine to a little girl waiting anxiously nearby. "Third place isn't too shabby," Mamoru remarked, nudging Usagi with his elbow. "Want to try another one?"

"Sure," she almost squeaked, giddy at the praise, and followed him around the corner.

"Ah, they finally have it…" Mamoru ogled the state-of-the-art racing simulation he'd heard rumors of on the forums he frequented. Sparco seat. Leather Momo steering wheel. Eight-speed gearbox. Anodized aluminum pedals. Actual gauge clusters. The helmet's visor was a secondary screen with VR features and the speakers inside provided realistic sound feedback. There were different modes for touring, rally, drifting, sprinting, and street racing, and tuning options from some of the best performance companies. The track selection also featured real locations around the globe presented in 4K detail. Combining all that with the first-person orientation, it was almost like leaving Japan. "Are you going to play?"

"I'd better just watch," Usagi said, flailing a little. "Plus I don't know how to use the stick thingy."

Mamoru gave her a curious look before immersing himself in the simulation. A few other people gathered around, humming and hawing at how easy he made it look, how natural he seemed behind the wheel. After beating the World Tour mode his results were added to the score ranking which only had a couple other entries on it. Mamoru seemed a bit stunned when he noticed the onlookers and grabbed Usagi's hand to make a hasty exit. "Wait a second!" a youthful voice called out. It belonged to the little girl from the other racing game. "Are you Chiba Mamoru?"

"Yes?" he answered apprehensively.

Her face lit up and she dug in her backpack for a photograph she proffered. "Can you sign this?" It was a picture of him and Kyo receiving their gold cup for the NGT Junior Championship.

Mamoru smiled and knelt to her level. "Sure, what's your name?"

"I'm Asanuma Shizuka," she said proudly. "That's my brother Ittou!" The boy stood behind her with his arms folded. He looked to be Usagi's age while his sister couldn't be older than ten.

"Do you want to be a racecar driver, Shizuka-chan?" Mamoru inquired. She nodded eagerly. "I hope you become one. There aren't very many female drivers out there."

"Onii-chan brought me here to race go-karts! But they were cleaning the track so we played some games first."

Ittou glanced at his watch. "They're probably done now, so let's go. It's rude to bother people on their date."

Usagi held up her hands. "Oh, we're just friends! Not dating!" Shizuka blinked at her reddening face. "In fact, we came to race go-karts too! C'mon, let's head over there together." The little girl beamed at the photo, stowed it, and practically dragged her brother toward the track, Mamoru following with a smile. It really lifted his mood to meet such a young, driven fan.

"Just the three of you?" the operator asked. Usagi looked back at Ittou but he shook his head firmly. She put on a helmet and claimed a white kart, figuring out the controls while Mamoru helped Shizuka get situated. Her gaze traveled to Ittou and found him looking everywhere but at his little sister. Did it bother him to have encountered one of her idols?

At the starting line Usagi ended up between Mamoru and Shizuka, the latter donning a fiercely determined expression while the former rolled his shoulders and focused straight ahead. Usagi decided to give it her all and stomped on the gas pedal once the light turned green, but she was abruptly thrown back in her seat and came to a jerky halt while her opponents continued toward the first turn. _"Ease into it,"_ Mamoru said in her mind. _"Find a speed you have complete control over and go faster from there."_

Usagi maintained a speed of 16 kph during her first lap, feeling more comfortable with the go-kart after that. She sped up to 32 and let off the gas during turns, still trailing Mamoru and Shizuka. A few kilometers faster and Usagi discovered she could drift the corners fairly effortlessly while feathering the brake, and immediately accelerating pulled her in a nice straight line. _'Time to catch up,'_ she thought with a smirk, bearing down on the competition as they rounded the turn in front of her. The three of them crossed the start-finish line one after the other, then Usagi slid around the inside corner and overtook Mamoru. He stayed right on her rear though, his front end practically touching her wheels. For some reason she couldn't zip past Shizuka; every time she tried the little girl swung right into her path, like she had eyes in the back of her head.

During the tenth and final lap, Shizuka took a corner on the outside and Usagi floored her kart to cut across the inside, but she didn't turn hard enough and almost T-boned the little girl as she was accelerating. They both let out surprised gasps followed by actual yelps as Mamoru rammed Usagi with significant force, wedging the front of her kart beneath Shizuka's and dumping her on her right side. "Shizuka!" Ittou shouted, leaping the fence encompassing the track. Usagi slapped the button on her chest to release the straps holding her in place and she crawled around the overturned kart in a panic just as Ittou fell to his knees beside his sister's head. He pulled off the helmet and stared.

Shizuka was laughing.

"That was awesome!" she giggled, and everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. She was totally fine except for a few scrapes on her elbow and knee which Ittou treated once they'd returned the karts to the staging area.

"I'm so sorry, that crash was my fault," Usagi said with a bow. "I shouldn't have pulled such a risky move."

"That's okay!" the girl grinned, unfazed. But her brother scoffed.

"It's not okay, Shizuka," he said quietly. "The same thing happened to Dad in a real car, but he wasn't able to walk away from it like you." Mamoru and Usagi shared a somber look as Ittou finished bandaging his sister's cuts and sent her to a vending machine. "She was only three when he died so she doesn't really remember him, but I can't even ride in a car for more than a minute without recalling it. It'd be nice to be as fearless as her." Shizuka returned and he donned a partial smile. "Say goodbye to Chiba-san and his friend. We have to pick up ingredients for dinner."

"Bye Mamoru-san! Bye Usako-chan! Thanks for racing with me!"

They waved and watched the siblings head toward the park exit, then Mamoru turned to Usagi in amusement. "She called you 'bunny'."

"Yeah, haven't heard that in a while. It was my nickname in elementary school."

"Would you mind if I used it? It's cute."

Usagi swore she'd never blushed this much in all her life. "Um, sure, if you want…" He nodded decisively. "Then I get to call you Mamo-chan."

"Deal," he said, and held out his hand again. "Should we ride the roller coaster?"

She answered with a broad smile and met his grip, wondering if he felt as exhilarated by the contact as she did.

* * *

Rei had her uniform washed and ironed every single day. She woke up precisely at seven o'clock, no exceptions. She took notes for every class no matter the subject material. As soon as she got home she completed her homework, always finishing in time to have dinner with her father. She never ate dessert. Afterward she took a bath lasting approximately thirty minutes, infusing the water with frangipani oil. Then she brushed her long hair until it shone like obsidian. Once dried she braided it and went to sleep, waking up and brushing it smooth all over again. The exact same routine for four years, since her first day of middle school. Since her father said it was time she left childish whimsy behind and start acting like a proper young lady. Like a politician's daughter.

She incorporated Jun into the routine by adding him to the slot reserved for a simple lunch of tempura udon and green tea, which she transferred from the cafeteria to a homeroom since food wasn't allowed in the library. A handful of students shared their free period but they were too immersed in their own studies or devices to pay much attention to Jun's Japanese lessons. He could speak it well enough but his writing was atrocious and he knew next to no kanji. "Honestly, how have you been surviving here?" Rei inquired, a mixture of curiosity and dismay. They had a _lot_ of material to cover.

Jun had a tendency to stare blankly for a few seconds before he spoke, considering his words. "Lots of signs in English," he finally answered, "and I use a translation app."

"I see. Well, let's get started." Rei flipped his elementary school textbook to the next section, indicators of time, and walked him through it before he began the application portion. She made flashcards to join the stack of radicals and numbers he'd memorized, writing each kanji in neat, precise handwriting. His own scrawl was thicker and increasingly-legible.

After several silent minutes Jun hummed thoughtfully. "The kanji in 'Tuesday' is the same one in your name." His eyes flicked up to her. "And the shrine your grandpa manages… it means 'fire river'?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm glad you made that association." Jun returned to his work, satisfied. Once finished he set his pencil down and tilted the chair back on two legs. Rei went over the example sentences at the bottom of each overview and was glad to see they were simple yet grammatically correct. "Great job," she praised, "you seem to be getting the hang of it. The more simple kanji you learn, the easier it is to deduce the meaning of complex ones." She wrote down two words. "What do you think this one means?"

"Fire and trees? I don't know…" Although Jun sounded apathetic his brow was tightly knit in consideration. "Burning or something?"

"You're on the right track. It's 'taku' which means heating or kindling a bath, a stove, etcetera. You can interpret it literally because the fire is below the wood." She held up the other flashcard. "How about this one?"

It was a combination of fire, light, and day. "Blazing?"

"Right! This is 'kyou', blazing or dazzling. You can use it to describe fireworks."

"Makes sense, I guess." Jun began packing his supplies. "Want to get coffee? There's a café I like a few blocks away."

Rei looked astonished; no one had ever invited her off campus. She nodded happily and slung her bag over one shoulder, trailing him out the homeroom and down a couple flights of stairs. It did not escape her notice how many clusters of sophomore girls like herself whispered and giggled as Jun walked by. "You're popular," she remarked.

"Only because I'm tall," he replied. Rei was 162 centimeters and estimated him to be at least 185. "And foreign," he added as an afterthought, holding the door for her.

"New students are always popular regardless of where they come from. You aren't the only European student here." STIA was home to a handful of Spanish kids, some Italians, one French girl and two sets of English twins. There were American, Brazilian, and Argentinian exchange students as well.

Once they left campus and joined the throng of people navigating Ichibanchou, Jun walked so close to Rei their bare arms constantly brushed. She tried shifting imperceptibly away but he stuck to her like glue. Eventually she noticed that people were giving them plenty of space on the sidewalk, though Jun didn't cut a terribly imposing figure. Since their school was near the British Embassy maybe they thought him the son of an ambassador. It dawned on Rei that she didn't know anything about his family and made a point to ask after claiming a table for their cold brew and blended chai. "Where do you live, Jun? What does your father do?"

He balanced this chair on two legs as well while taking a long drink, smiling a little around the straw. "We live in Meguro. Dad works for Interpol as a narcotics investigator."

"Oh my…" Rei quickly closed her gaping mouth. "I assumed he was some kind of well-to-do businessman, not a civil servant. That's a very brave occupation to have." Jun ducked his chin in acknowledgement. "How did your parents meet?"

"Mom is a detective. They met in Russia while trying to track down a heroin source. Apparently I was conceived in Ekaterinburg." Rei tittered at that. "Mom and I are Catholic, that's why Dad enrolled me in St. Teresa's." One of his pale eyebrows arched. "Are you religious, Hino-san?"

"Not really," she answered, looking down at the table. "My father sent me there because it's an elite school and he could afford it."

"Mm. Seems pretty nice on the surface, right?" Rei quizzically met his gaze. "But there are scandals left and right. The other day some girl I have a few classes with got caught giving a blowjob in a janitor's closet, and a senior got busted for selling cocaine." Jun shook his head. "So it's okay that you don't believe in God. He's obviously not paying attention to what goes on at our school."

"Speaking of which, we'd better head back." They tossed their empty cups and rejoined the sidewalk crowd, saying nothing to one another during the return trek. Jun kept his hands in his pockets and his arms close to his body this time, like he didn't want to make Rei uncomfortable again. In the main foyer they halted together.

"Thanks for going with me," he said.

"Thank you for inviting me," she replied. "What class do you have next?"

"World History. I wish I had it with you, that way I'd be able to talk to someone with a brain."

 _'Is he calling me smart?'_ Rei could only smile at the compliment.

Jun sighed and lifted one of his shoulders in a shrug. "Oh well. See you tomorrow, Hino-san." He began ascending the stairs.

It took fifteen long seconds to find her voice. "Um, Jun!" He looked back inquisitively. "You can just call me Rei!"

That lopsided grin appeared. "Okay, Rei. Coffee tomorrow?"

She nodded and watched until he disappeared at the landing, then glanced around in case someone saw her standing there like an idiot. She scurried into the nearest bathroom to stare at herself in the mirror. Complexion glowing, heart pounding, hands trembling. All because of the way he'd looked at her while saying her name. Rei gave herself a firm pat on both cheeks. _'You can't have a crush on someone because of their eye color. That's so childish. You're not a little girl anymore.'_ Jun was attractive, sure, but not exactly the elite member of society her father would approve of, which was reason enough to ignore the butterflies that had taken up residence in her stomach.

Trips to the café became part of her routine too, even as the August heat began fading and September rains hid blue skies; however, all Rei had to do was glance at Jun's face for a reminder of summer. Lightly freckled skin, wispy sand-colored hair, and those all-consuming eyes she now saw behind her own at night. He'd probably laugh if he knew she was dreaming about him. She scoffed lightly as they waited at a crosswalk, dwelling too much on her inner thoughts and not paying the outside world the attention it deserved. "Hey! Stop!" called a woman across the way. A man who had just stolen her purse barreled right through the crowd of pedestrians. Rei let out a surprised shout as the person behind her pushed her off the curb into the street laden with traffic. She fell in slow motion, holding out her arms to lessen her inevitable impact with the asphalt as fluorescent white lines approached faster than the delivery truck at the intersection.

But she didn't suffer so much as a single scratch because one of Jun's long arms appeared around her waist and pulled her back to safety. Rei stood there in a daze while he looked above the crowd to see which way the thief had gone and took off after him, sprinting down the sidewalk in his wake, weaving between people as the man simply shoved them aside. Once relatively clear of pedestrians Jun slipped out of his backpack and hurled it at the robber's legs, tripping him and sending him sprawling to the pavement. He reached for the stolen purse but faltered as the man withdrew a knuckle knife from his jacket while scrambling to his feet. "Back off unless you want a good look at your intestines, kid."

He didn't heed the warning and moved forward again. As the thief lunged Jun dodged, caught his wrist and twisted his arm to make him release the knife, then drove his knee into the man's diaphragm to rob him of air. When Rei finally caught up to him, Jun had the thief on the ground with his arms pinned as multiple onlookers contacted the police. There wasn't a hint of exertion upon his face as he glanced up at her. "Can you return that lady's purse?" She simply nodded and went to find the owner, meeting her halfway to the scene.

"What a brave young man!" the woman remarked, scowling at the robber as he was put into a police car. "Here, let me give you a reward."

"No thanks," Jun said, "I was just doing the right thing." The woman regarded him in wonderment, others mirroring the expression, but the boy only focused on Rei. "I really need coffee."

She fell into step beside him, thoughts returning to normal as they put the seemingly-surreal events behind them. "You saved me _and_ that lady's purse," she finally spoke once seated in the café. "How did you do that, Jun?"

"Do what?"

"React so quickly and appropriately to the situation. It was nothing short of amazing."

He shrugged as his cheeks colored. "I just did."

Rei smiled slyly. "You know martial arts, don't you?"

Jun stared across the room, at the ceiling, out the window, anywhere but Rei because the admiration on her visage was too much. If it were anyone else, fine, but coming from her it felt ill-deserved. The Hinos lived in a world of luxury and publicity while the Higashinos operated in its dark, dirty underbelly, a place where Rei should never step foot. But she kept asking personal questions like she _wanted_ a glimpse into his life; maybe if he shared some ugly details she'd stop. "I've been training in kudo since four," he replied, taking a long sip of his drink.

Rei quickly did the math. "After thirteen years you must be a black belt."

He nodded. "I've gone through extensive firearms training too, and I know other armed combat techniques– knives, staves, all kinds of stuff." Questions were clearly etched upon the girl's visage. "When I was four, Mom took down a Russian drug ring. They sent a hitman to our house." Her eyes widened. "He came in at night, but stepped on one of my toys and we woke up. Mom got the first and only shot. After that she said I should learn how to protect myself for the inevitable times she couldn't."

Rei downed a significant portion of her chai since her mouth had gone dry. "I can't believe someone tried to _kill_ you. You were only a child…" She shook her head in disbelief. "What does your mother think about you being several thousand miles from home, from her?"

"I got the invitation to join Noctis in May, at the end of my school year. It took two months to convince her to let me come here."

"Do you like living with your father?"

Jun smiled a bit ruefully. "I'm glad I get to know him. He works a lot though, more than Mom. He said I should join a school club so I'm not home alone all the time."

Rei knew exactly what it was like to live with a parent devoted to their career. When she was younger she used to resent her father for never being around, passing her between so many assistants she could barely keep track of their names. But growing up gave her a new sense of respect for the man. He worked hard so she could have a good life, and his accomplishments in government bettered the lives of their countrymen as well. "We should probably get going," she said to Jun. It started raining when they reached the academy's gated entrance so they ran into the foyer, Rei glancing out the window with a sigh. "What a perfect day to forgo an umbrella."

"I'll give you a ride home," Jun offered. "I have Dad's car. He takes the train to work." The look of gratitude he received made his heart skip a beat. Rei had brown eyes like the majority of Japanese people he'd encountered, but hers also had a limbal ring that gave her gaze depth and intensity, and because he stood a head taller she had no choice but to look up at him from beneath her long, thick lashes in a manner he found quite attractive.

"Thank you, Jun. I appreciate it. Where should I meet you after school?"

"My class always lets out early, I'll just wait outside yours. Room twenty-two, right?" She nodded and smiled, lifting a hand in parting as she ventured down one of the sophomore halls. Jun's algebra class was starting soon but he remained glued to the spot, entranced by the unfailing grace with which Rei carried herself, a queen among peasants. It was stupid to think their study sessions and coffee ventures were enough to give him a shot at becoming her king.

* * *

Makoto and Nobu winced at the harmonized high-pitched squeal Usagi and Minako exuded when they saw the kitten. "Oh my god, she's so _cuuute!_ " The black cat flattened her ears and bolted beneath the couch.

"Good job Usagi-chan, you scared her!" Minako was the first to remove her shoes and jacket, claiming her favorite cushion around the low table in the living room. "What name did you decide on, Mako-chan?"

"Luna," she said proudly, "because of the mark on her head." She went straight to the kitchen to prepare lemonade and cookies for her friends as they made themselves comfortable, talking quietly and wiggling fingers to lure Luna into their midst. Eventually she attacked Nobu's toes moving to some unheard beat. Her claws got stuck in his sock which enabled him to scoop her up and hand her to Usagi, who buried her face in Luna's fuzzy fur.

"It's not fair," she whined, "everyone has cute pets except me. My parents won't even let me get a hamster."

"You can always come over to walk Pepper with me," Minako suggested. "She's a total boy magnet. There's this one guy who jogs the same route I take and he always stops to pet her. His butt is just… mmm." Makoto rolled her eyes. "I'm _this close_ to getting his number."

"Like you don't have a legion of fanboys ready to put their numbers on billboards for you."

She waved it off. "I don't want them, I want the guy with the nice ass. It's all tight and muscular."

"If it's muscles you want, just date Nobu-kun," Usagi said, giggling when they both protested. Everyone knew he was devoted to his girlfriend in San Diego but that didn't stop some of their peers from fawning over his impressive physique. During an after-school football game last week one of the girls' mutual friends, Osaka Naru, actually swooned when Nobu took off his shirt. He'd been approached by every team captain but denied their invitations because he didn't want to divide his focus between school sports and training for the Urban Action Grand Prix, which began in two weeks.

"So ladies…" the boy stated, gesticulating with half a cookie in hand, "Since I currently have three out of five of you, there's something I need to ask." All eyes turned to him. "Would you be willing to help out Team Noctis during the drift competition?"

"Of course!" Usagi instantly chirped.

"Sure," Minako agreed.

Makoto narrowed her eyes. "Help in what way?"

Nobu looked at the ceiling while mussing his hair. "Ah, well, it's actually Kyo's idea, not mine, so if you're gonna get mad then direct it at him…" Three eyebrows rose and his words came out hurriedly. "He was wondering if you could work our street fair booth since me and Zen will be competing and everyone else will be on maintenance crew."

"Booth girls, huh? And what kind of skimpy outfits will we be required to wear?"

He waved his hands. "They don't have to be skimpy! But, I mean, showing a _little_ skin will make people notice our team, so that's kinda important…" Nobu withdrew a local company's sportswear catalogue from his backpack and flipped it open to the women's section. "I was thinking you could all wear these side-laced shorts with your choice of top. The color scheme would match our new jumpsuits– midnight blue with a checkered stripe and our new logo on the chest."

"What's the logo?" Usagi asked. Nobu fished out a sketchbook to show them a silver upturned crescent moon between the words _Noctis Racing_ in a nice serif font. "You drew this? It looks totally professional!"

"Thanks," he said with a sheepish smile. "There's one more thing I need from you girls– bust, waist, and hip measurements." Nobu quickly jotted down Minako's numbers since she knew them off the top of her head while her friends went to find a tape measure.

"Mako-chan, your boobs are huge!" Usagi whispered in the bedroom.

"Shut up! They are not!" Even with the minimizer bra Makoto's chest still measured 100 centimeters around, a fact that made her blush profusely. She picked up Luna from the foot of her bed and returned to the living room, waiting until Minako had relayed Ami and Rei's numbers via text before contributing her own. She knew it was silly to be embarrassed when Nobu wasn't using them for anything other than ordering uniforms.

"Thanks a lot, ladies. I can give you more info about the street fair in the coming week since we're still brainstorming ideas. If you think of anything, let me know at lunch some time." Nobu stowed the catalogue, gave Luna a quick scratch under her chin, and bid the three girls goodbye. He didn't have very far to go since his house was literally four lots down from Makoto's apartment.

Nobu's parents were in the business of creating comics. They had lived in Osaka their whole lives until receiving a job offer from an American publisher, prompting their move to California where Nobu was born. Their historical fantasy series did quite well and provided the ability to indulge his numerous hobbies, cars being the most expensive. His triumphs at Infineon and other local events returned their investment several times over, but being a member of a professional racing team saw an even larger investment that wouldn't be forgiven if he failed to secure victories. He found a modicum of comfort in the fact that Zen would be right there with him at Urban Action, but drifting was what Noctis had specifically hired _him_ to do, what had made him abandon his life of relative ease for the disorienting world of Tokyo.

"Mom, Dad, I'm home!" Nobu called, and then remembered his parents had basically stopped speaking English. "Tadaima!" He received two muted "okaeri" from their workroom followed by a reminder to take off his shoes. Poking around the kitchen revealed they had squirreled away the cheesy rice crackers, probably the only thing they'd eaten today. "What do you want for dinner?" he shouted.

"Whatever you wanna make!" his father shouted back. Nobu sighed and gathered ingredients for a stew, no longer unseasonal in September. It wasn't his fault that he had no clue how to make sushi or fancy noodle bowls. _'I'm sure Makoto does… I should ask her for some cooking lessons after the competition.'_ Since becoming friends with her Nobu had been able to sample her lunches of standard cuisine that still seemed exotic despite being four months into his new life. Some aspects remained the same, though; he did all the cooking and shopping while his parents handled laundry and cleaning. Some of his American friends thought it was weird for Nobu to basically parent his parents, and it certainly wasn't a _typical_ family dynamic, but at least the three of them were happy.

He Skyped Natalie after dinner, grinning like a fool as soon as she appeared on-screen. "Long time no see, punk," she said, all hooded eyes and full lips. "How's it going over there?"

"Eh, it's going. I'm still getting used to some things, like driving on the left side of the road."

"Oh yeah, that's so weird." She hummed thoughtfully. "So what kind of car did they give you?"

"A late-model Supra, it's pretty awesome. I wish you were here to ride with me."

"Think I'd rather be there riding _you_ ," Natalie remarked while examining her nails. A flirty smile turned her lips as Nobu released a laugh laced with longing. "I asked my folks if I could come visit you during the competition and they said no 'cause school starts next week." Her brown eyes rolled in exasperation. "At this rate we won't get to see each other 'til next year!"

"Well… yeah," Nobu dejectedly agreed. "School is year-round here but I have two weeks off for Christmas and New Year's. I can probably buy you a plane ticket with some of the money earned from Urban Action if you want to come out then."

She made a face. "Doesn't it get cold there in the winter? I don't know if I can handle that."

He smiled back. "But you'd be with me. We could go shopping, and do the New Year's shrine thing, and build a snowman in a park, and go for a drive up a mountain…" That last suggestion made Natalie blush because they'd lost their virginity to one another during a camping trip at Mount Shasta. "We could go to a car meet like we used to, and then I'll take you on a few laps around the track owned by the team manager."

"Okay, okay!" Natalie giggled, "You can stop, I'm convinced. I'd love to spend New Year's with you and meet all the people you've been telling me about."

"Then I'll buy a ticket for after Christmas." The thought of seeing her in person again made him giddy and he hoped the next three months would pass quickly. Nobu then glanced at the clock. "I have some homework to do before bed, so I gotta go. Enjoy your day, babe."

"Oh, I will. I'm taking full advantage of my last days of freedom." She blew him a kiss. "Have a good night, punk. Sleep tight. Love you!"

"Love you too." His smile dimmed as soon as he signed off, but he couldn't afford to mope around when he had a novel's worth of exercises to tackle. Nobu had never been more than a C average student since he saw no point learning things that weren't relevant to his interests. Southern Californian weather made it all the more difficult not to be outside doing something physically stimulating instead of sitting in class for six hours a day. But he promised his parents he'd put more effort toward his studies, and it helped that there was better camaraderie among his peers since he stayed in the same class while different teachers cycled through it. And in the event he _really_ found himself struggling academically, he took solace in the knowledge that Makoto, Usagi and Minako had offered to study with him.

Nobu wondered how his life had become such a balancing act. Training, competing, school, new friends, girlfriend, parents… He felt pretty confident in his ability to handle everything and vowed not to let the stress get to him. Much of it would be alleviated once Urban Action was over, the test that would determine his worth to Team Noctis. He really wanted to stay with them; it was nice being part of something bigger than himself and having friends even geekier than him when it came to cars. _'I just need to follow Kyo's advice and prepare for the future by focusing on the present.'_

Have faith that his colleagues had tuned the Supra for victory and could handle any issues that arose. Dismiss his sadness that Natalie couldn't cheer him from the sidelines, but Makoto and her friends would be. Forget about his disastrous performance three years ago, he'd improved so much since then. If the road to his ideal future had no obstacles to overcome, traveling down it wouldn't have been any fun at all.


	5. Drift

**Chapter Five: Drift**

Saturday, September 17th marked the first stage of the Urban Action Grand Prix. The main event was held in Shibuya, turning the already-bustling metropolitan center into a maze of food stalls, vendor booths, auto service tents, and a race course in Jinnan with ample security to prevent people from clogging the roads. The members of Team Noctis had arrived at the crack of dawn to set up their booth in the parking lot of Yoyogi Stadium, a prime location Zen paid a lot to secure. Behind the tent was their transport trailer, one section packed full of spare parts, tools, and merchandise with just enough room leftover for someone to squeeze down a narrow aisle. When the girls arrived at Jingumae Station at eight in the morning, Mamoru was waiting in a little four-seater utility vehicle decorated with badges indicating his status as a competitor's crewman.

"Sorry there isn't quite enough room for everyone," he said as they piled in.

Usagi made it work by climbing into the rear storage area, situating herself atop a toolbox and gripping the roll bar as Mamoru carefully maneuvered through the exponentially increasing crowd. "Looks like a pretty big turnout this year," she remarked.

"Tell me about it!" the boy agreed. "The first trial doesn't even start for two hours and this is only the site of one course. The other two are in Roppongi and Meguro."

"So how does this whole thing even work?" Minako inquired.

Mamoru drew in a long breath. "Unlike most forms of motorsport, drifting is mostly based on style. The contestants are judged on their handling ability followed by lap time. They can also score points for flair, the overall aesthetic of the car. There's a maximum of sixty points that can be earned during the trials– twenty per course, ten per lap. Drivers will be sorted into brackets based on their scores for the tandem races tomorrow where they'll take turns leading and chasing for two laps each. Whoever makes it to the final round with the score closest to one-hundred is the champion."

"So… do you really think Nobu can win?" Makoto interrupted herself with a yawn. "How many entrants are there?"

Mamoru's hesitation was an answer on its own. "A lot more than we anticipated, a hundred and twenty." He then scoffed lightly. "At least ten of them are driving cars that _we_ built or tuned." Ami hummed at this news. She wondered if Zen really had what it took to place well in the competition when he'd never participated in one before.

When they finally got to the booth Mamoru gave them a briefing on their duties, waiting until they'd all changed into the uniforms Nobu had ordered. Usagi looked like a cheerleader in her double buns, tank top and shorts, and she accessorized with silver crescent moon earrings. "Okay girls, basically your job is to lure people to our booth and sell merchandise. That shouldn't be a problem given how, uh… nice you all look." They giggled as Mamoru blushed and motioned to the boxes on the tables. "We have shirts, hats, and hoodies for men and women, plus a bunch of stickers and pins. You can display the merch however you want, just make sure to have at least one of everything showing. Whoever is best at math should probably handle the cash box. There's also a tablet with a card reader." Everyone turned to Ami who looked at her friends wide-eyed since she was already playing with the tablet, eliciting more giggles. "We'll come back once Nobu and Zen's trials are finished to help you pack up."

"Sounds like a plan, Mamo-chan!" Usagi set to work opening and rummaging through all the boxes, Rei joining her a moment later.

Mamoru withdrew something from a pocket on his arm. "I almost forgot– here's a walkie-talkie you can use to contact us. It's linked to Kyo's headset." Minako accepted it gleefully, then the girls all waved goodbye as he drove off, weaving carefully between pedestrians.

Makoto planted her hands on her hips and gave the actual tent a once-over. "Is there anything we can use to hang up the shirts and hoodies? That way people will see them above the crowd."

"Good thinking, Mako-chan," Ami said, stepping into the cramped trailer. She found some pliers and hummed thoughtfully, locking them in the fully-open position and slipping the handles through a shirt. Then she wedged the head between a slot in a pole. "Voila."

"You're a genius, you know," Rei commented, and Ami simply smiled.

After laying out the merchandise Minako donned a hat and began strutting before the booth, smiling at everyone and calling out to young guys who were more than happy to indulge her sales pitch because it got them a close-up view. The majority of her tanned, toned physique was on display thanks to the short-shorts and a cropped tube top; Makoto wasn't shy about showing off her muscles either in a cropped long-sleeve. Ami wore a V-neck three-quarter sleeve that clung to her petite figure like a second skin, and Rei was the most modestly dressed in a snug high-neck long sleeve.

Once noon rolled around the amount of foot traffic significantly increased, growing so heavy the girls couldn't see any of the vendors opposite them. "Support Team Noctis!" Usagi shouted, waving stickers in her hands. "Show your support and stand out in the crowd with a stylish shirt, hat, or simple pin!" Makoto copied the shtick, using her height and loud voice to make herself heard above the din.

Men flocked to them– smiling, flirting, and telling them how good they looked, most walking away with at least one item. Ami and Rei lost track of how much money passed between their hands, how many cards they swiped, how often they told someone to have a great day and enjoy the races. Minako had taken on the duty of relaying race info to her friends. She could hear roaring engines, chirping turbos, and raspy exhaust through Kyo's headset as well as the audience cheering and occasional words of advice passed from Tatsuo to Zen, who had just finished his practice lap and would now be judged in his very first competition.

"Relax, Zenji," Tatsuo said. "Take it nice and easy. You don't want to mess up a showy move and lose points."

"Thanks, Kitano-san," he answered tersely. The advice wasn't really necessary since Zen didn't plan on doing anything flashy, not because he was concerned with earning deductions but for fear of hurting his car in some manner. Even though he knew the RX7's dimensions like the back of his hand, he was hardly familiar with the circuit after just one lap and didn't want to take the chance of clipping a corner. Zen stopped at the start-finish line to psyche himself up. _'I know everything about this car. I've gone over every inch and I spared no expense. It exists to dominate the streets_ _and_ _the track. This course is mine.'_

And then he was off, the straightaway disappearing in an instant as he shifted up to third gear and slid into the first corner. Brand-new tires kicked up a plume of white smoke as Zen mashed the throttle and counter-steered to break the rear end loose. The noise from the rotary sounded divine, diminishing only slightly as he drifted into the second corner. There was a series of hairpin turns to test his transition ability and he didn't handle them as well as he would have liked, releasing a frustrated breath afterward as he slid in a wide arc through an intersection.

Glancing outside for the briefest of seconds revealed onlookers cheering and waving just beyond the course perimeter. Zen doubted anyone actually cared about how well he scored; to them he was just a guy in a cool car. The others members of Team Noctis may have been concerned about showmanship, but not Zen. His main motive for participating in Urban Action was to see if he'd inherited any of his father's ability, if he really was the prodigal son everyone believed him to be. He wanted to see how far he could go with nothing more than basic technique and unlimited financial backing. He wanted to find out if that would be enough to help him keep pace with his teammates who actually had passion for motorsport.

The second lap began and Zen poured more faith into his Mazda, pushed it a little harder. His slides were smooth and controlled despite momentum attempting to toss him from the bucket seat keeping him secure. As he entered the hairpin turns for the third and final time, all the thoughts that had been on his mind simply faded away. Suddenly it felt like he was gliding across a sheet of ice, speed, angle and trajectory combining to form the perfect drift. He knew this was the feeling Nobu tried to capture every single time he turned the Supra's key. Transitioning from one turn to the next became so effortless; all he needed to do was sense the physics affecting his car and react accordingly. Hold the wheel at this angle, apply a bit more throttle there, ease off slightly as he exited the corner, release the wheel to straighten out, and… done. His Shibuya trial was over.

"That third run was great, Zen," Mamoru spoke into his ear. "Come on back so we can swap your tires."

Zen nodded even though his brother couldn't see it, both hands shaking a little as his right dropped to the bottom of the wheel and his left downshifted into second. Officials in yellow vests directed him off the circuit and onto the stretch of road designated for pit crews. Zen pulled up behind Nobu and cut the engine, blowing out a breath to ease the tension in his body. Everyone looked proud, even Tatsuo, so he must have done a decent job. Mamoru jacked up the Mazda's rear end and Jun attacked the lug nuts with an impact wrench, Kyo standing by with fresh Proxes courtesy of Toyo.

Once the new tires were on Zen headed off to the course in Meguro as Nobu waited in the wings for his first trial. He popped his knuckles, neck and spine before getting situated in the Supra. It looked like a totally different car now thanks to a new body kit, paint job, and sponsor stickers. Out of the 120 contestants he was #32; Tatsuo had entered Nobu before he'd even left San Diego. Zen was #114, registering mere days before the September 1st deadline. The blond boy left a grand impression in his emerald green RX7 that at one time represented the pinnacle of Japanese automotive engineering. It was clearly a crowd favorite, and no doubt he had scored maximum points for flair. Nobu could only hope the Supra with its stylish gradient and classic appeal would do the same for him.

 _'Okay, here we go…'_ He took a deep, calming breath while rolling up to the starting line, immediately accelerating to third gear as he began his practice run; the faster he went the better his score attack would be. Like Zen Nobu knew every inch of his car by now, but unlike Zen he was a showman willing to skate along the walls even though scraping or hitting them would be a huge point deduction.

Some audience members rose to their feet as Nobu entered his final lap. His technique had evolved over the course of four years, polished to a radiant shine now that he sat behind the wheel of a machine built to do exactly what he wanted. Into the first corner, a flawless transition to the second, rear bumper mere centimeters from the barrier outlining the course. He held the drift all the way down a short straightaway into the hairpin turns, pushing the gas pedal to the floor and whipping the Supra in the opposite direction to send up a massive cloud of white smoke. His speed was impressive, his direction perfect. As he bore down on the finish line he saw people screaming their support for him, this kid who had come all the way from southern California to play in the big leagues.

And all the way in California, a group of teens streamed every second of the race despite not being able to understand a single word the announcer spoke. They didn't want to miss the moment their gearheaded friend took the podium.

* * *

The day ended at 18:00. Zen and Nobu followed their crewmates through the dwindling masses, earning a few excited looks and hurried photos as they rumbled by. "How'd you guys do?" Usagi asked once everyone had exited the vehicles, groaning and stretching.

Tatsuo was beaming. "I'm pleased to announce that our talented Minamino-kun concluded the trials with a near-perfect score of fifty-eight points."

"Wow, that's amazing!" The girls all hugged him at once.

Nobu made a sound of distress and managed to extricate himself from the ten-armed embrace. "Natalie would freak out if she saw you all glomming me." Kyo scoffed since _he_ certainly wouldn't mind having five attractive females smothering him.

Makoto rolled her eyes. "It's not like any of us are trying to steal you away from her. Tell her she has nothing to worry about." She faced Zen. "So what was your score, Nishino-san?"

A shrug. "Not as impressive– forty-five out of sixty. I'm not disappointed, of course. I had no expectations for myself." Zen sighed a little, transitioning from drift competitor back to team manager. "How did our merchandise do?" Ami stepped up at that, showing him a ledger keeping track of inventory and sales. They sold the most stickers followed by men's shirts of all sizes, pins, hats, and finally small-sized women's clothing with total sales picking up during the latter half of the day as people took more notice of Team Noctis. After the girls changed back into their regular clothes, the cars and equipment were loaded into the trailer and the utility vehicle was returned to event staff. Everyone went their separate ways to get a well-deserved night's rest, but Zen didn't see relaxation on the horizon just yet.

His father was out when he returned to the penthouse, a small comfort since he didn't have to discuss his performance. Zen peeled off his jumpsuit, threw it in the wash, and took a quick shower before donning a pair of sweatpants and sitting down at his computer. He first checked the official Urban Action website, noting an entire paragraph dedicated to Team Noctis. It said both drivers "looked promising" and "are definitely ones to watch in the tandem heats tomorrow". There was even a little blurb on Nobu, just that he had pulled two consecutive victories in junior drift competitions at Infineon Raceway and his skills were impressive for a sixteen year-old. Zen clicked over to the Noctis website and was honestly surprised by the traffic stats. They had increased exponentially in just one day, proof that people wanted to know who was sitting behind the wheel, but for some reason the average time spent on each page was quite low. Humming thoughtfully, he fetched the site on his phone and released an indignant gasp when he discovered the display was screwy.

Ami started a little when her phone rang; she was at a really good place in her book. Upon seeing Zen's number she set it down. "Zen-san!" She always sounded happy to see or hear from him. "Is everything all right?"

"Not really," he answered, making her tense. "My website isn't optimized for mobile viewing. It's completely skewed on my mobile browser."

"Oh…" She sighed in relief. "Is that all?"

A grunt of frustration. "This is a serious issue, Ami-chan. People are trying to access the site from their phones during the event. If it's not displaying correctly then they can't get the information they want, and it makes us look unprofessional." He paused, voice softening. "So I'd like to request your help again. Would you mind coming to my place?"

Ami glanced at the clock. It was almost 20:00 and her mother was currently performing an organ transplant, so she wouldn't be off until late. She was used to spending nights alone but after being surrounded by people all day the notion seemed rather off-putting. "Sure, I can come over. Do you need me to bring anything?"

"Just that brilliant mind of yours," Zen said.

Ami smiled at the remark and hurriedly changed out of her pajamas into an oversized sweater and leggings providing the same level of comfort. She threw her wallet into her schoolbag and ran to the nearest train station, transferring a couple times until disembarking in the ritzy neighborhood Zen called home. She hadn't actually been to the penthouse before yet knew it was at the top of the most expensive hotel in the area where guests with east-facing rooms viewed amazing sunrises over Tokyo Bay. In the lobby she had to request to be taken up to the Nishino residence, a man with a special keycard joining her in the elevator. At the top she stepped into a marble hallway adorned with modern artwork and sculptures. The double doors were of dark wood with glass panels and no visible handles, making Ami falter. She spied an interface on the wall and pressed what was presumably the bell, then one door soundlessly swung inward. There stood Zen: damp hair, shirtless, lines of his slender physique unabashedly on display.

"Uhm…" She tittered awkwardly and covered her face with both hands to hide a blush.

The boy laughed. "Sorry, I'm not really used to having company. I'll go grab a shirt– please come in."

Ami peered between her fingers, watching him ascend a floating staircase in the middle of the open floorplan. The penthouse's ultra-modern aesthetic didn't seem cozy compared to her home, but she supposed Zen had also learned to find solace in his surroundings when he had them all to himself. Stainless steel and glass everywhere, monochrome furniture, dark hardwood floor, plush rugs, vivid accent pieces. Two walls were entirely comprised of windows revealing the bay to the southeast and the metro to the north. _'Nice views at least,'_ she mused, venturing upstairs after giving Zen enough time to make himself decent.

The steps deposited her in the middle of a wide hallway with museum-esque lighting. The art was a bit more personable, sketches and renders of high-end cars interspersed with vintage advertisements and metal signs. She even saw photographs of Zen and Kyo's fathers together trackside or on the podium with trophies in hand, beaming at the cameras. "Down here," came the boy's voice from the opposite end of the hall.

Ami gasped as she stepped into his abode. " _This_ is your room? It's huge!"

Zen smirked slightly. "It's nothing compared to my dad's. His has a sitting area, a fireplace, _and_ an ofuro." She followed him into the attached study, a small rectangular space occupied by a huge desk just inside the door, a coffee table flanked by twin sofas in the middle, and an enormous TV filling the far wall. "Have a seat," Zen said, indicating the leather desk chair. Ami gingerly lowered herself into it. There was a regular-sized monitor before her but nothing else; no keyboard, mouse, or any other visible peripherals. "Oh, it might be prudent to activate the system first…" He placed his palm on the desk and an integrated touch panel flared to life.

"This is amazing," Ami breathed. She hadn't been expecting the opportunity to play with new technology. Essentially the desk housed a massive computer and its surface functioned like a tablet with completely biometric capabilities. Zen logged into his website editor and handed the reins to Ami. He then projected his phone's screen onto the TV, splitting the views so she could see how a mobile browser displayed the site. After twenty minutes of little progress Ami sat back and stared at the template. "You know what, Zen-san? I think these photo widgets are causing your problem." He raised an eyebrow. "Images are being retrieved from the hosting site's cloud storage and displayed through the widgets. I'm pretty sure the automatic optimization settings aren't compatible with mobile browsers."

Zen mulled it over. "So… we have to resize them ourselves and embed them right into the sheet?"

"That's what I'm thinking. And we should change it so that the template receives each image directly from your computer. As long as you maintain the file paths everything will display just fine."

"All right, let me take over." Zen traded the Surface Pro he'd been playing with for command of the PC and began meticulously editing each high-quality image. Ami knew a better way, surely, but he didn't want to ask more of her since she had already slogged through the entire source code. "You never told me how you became so skilled at this stuff," he said.

Ami looked up from the Surface, hesitating to respond. "I'm good at seeing the big picture. Coding is just a frame with a complex painting inside." She paused, tilting her head. "I think you're the type of person who gets caught up on individual brushstrokes. You want each one to look perfect on its own instead of considering how it will appear in the whole work."

Her analogy was completely accurate. Zen resumed his task while Ami kept glancing at his progress on the TV. Eventually she spoke up with knowledge of a more efficient method, entering dual work mode with Zen as he focused on editing some content and tweaking the site layout. The only sound in the room came from swift keystrokes, the computer language they both spoke so well, though nothing really needed to be said when they both knew what steps to take in achieving their shared goal. Ami finished embedding all the new images and stretched out on the sofa, certain the boy would be done soon.

Zen finally published the site just after midnight. Almost all of his joints unlocked as he stood from the chair with a mighty groan. He glanced over at Ami to make some kind of tortoise-and-hare remark and was surprised to see her sound asleep. Dim lights from the outside world cast a soft glow upon her pale skin, illuminating her serene features like moonlight on fresh snow. Zen flexed his fingers in consternation. Waking Ami up and taking her home was the logical thing to do, but disrupting her beautiful sleep seemed sacrilegious at this point. Maybe she could just stay there on the couch.

He grabbed the Surface Pro off her midsection and replaced it with a blanket from his bed, plugged in her phone charger, and finally brought her a glass of water. Zen looked back at her from the doorway with a little smile. No one had ever slept over in his room before. "Thanks for all that you've done for me, Ami-chan. The least I can do is buy you breakfast." She stirred slightly as if the promise of food reached her. "It's a date, then. See you in the morning."

* * *

Usagi withdrew from her adoring public for a quick break, retreating into the cool shade of the trailer as Makoto took her place modeling Team Noctis merchandise. She opened the mini-fridge for a bottle of water and was delighted to find half of what looked like a little pizza with a pastry crust, frosting sauce, and fruit toppings. "Hey! What's this food thing in here?" she called.

The girls outside exchanged confused looks until Ami appeared at the mouth of the trailer. "It's my leftover berry tart," she answered.

"Can I eat it?" Ami nodded but looked kind of guilty for some reason. She crept down the narrow aisle as Usagi bit into the tart and moaned. "Omigod, it's delicious. Where'd you get this?"

"A patisserie in Ginza…"

Usagi's chewing slowed as she narrowed her eyes. "I know your mom is rich, but she doesn't give you enough allowance to afford food like this."

Ami swallowed nervously. "Zen paid for it. He took me to breakfast this morning."

"Is that why you were here before the rest of us?" She nodded as Usagi tried connecting the dots. It was nine o'clock on a Sunday and the drift finals began at eleven, so if Ami and Zen had arrived at the site early after he took her to a nice place for breakfast, that could mean… "Ami-chan, did you sleep with him?" she whispered.

"Technically? No." She still wouldn't meet her friend's gaze. "But we slept in the same vicinity. Separately."

Usagi blinked at her. "What the _heck?_ "

Ami leaned against the tool chest, folding her arms. "Last night Zen called to ask if I could come over to help him make the Noctis website compatible for viewing on mobile browsers. We had _so_ much editing to do. I finished before him and fell asleep on the sofa in his study." Her troubled gaze flicked to Usagi. "I woke up in a panic before remembering where I was. Zen had covered me with a blanket and made sure my phone was fully charged."

"Aww, that's so sweet!"

"It was. Things could have gone very differently if he were… not a good person." Ami was clearly ruminating over the what-ifs, so Usagi set aside the tart to give her a hug.

"You didn't do anything bad, Ami-chan. Even if you _had_ actually slept with him none of us would judge you." She pulled back to search her friend's expression, smiling kindly. "Mamo-chan told me he thinks you're good for Zen. He's come out of his bubble since meeting you."

"Really?"

"Really! And Mina-chan says he's perfect boyfriend material 'cause he's rich _and_ cute."

"He's so smart and driven, too…" Ami gasped at her wistful tone, cheeks reddening. "Just because I like him as a person doesn't mean we have to be romantically involved!"

Usagi giggled. "True, but _you're_ cute, smart and driven, too. If you find someone you want get romantically involved with I'm sure you can catch them without a problem!"

The girls certainly didn't have a problem luring customers to the booth for the second day in a row, and it was a good thing Zen had rush-ordered some more merchandise because everything was selling like hotcakes. In addition to bolstering their regular stock he'd come up with the idea to offer photo opportunities with Noctis' two flagship cars, the Lexus LFA and Acura NSX. So far they had proven to be quite the cash cow, the lines for each vehicle growing long and winding as both Zen and Nobu continued to progress in the tournament bracket by bracket.

"My dad is practically weeping," Kyo remarked to Minako. "He's actually thanking social media for giving them so much attention. Now he can't complain about the Facebook page Zen set up."

"Well I've got Instagram covered," she said. "I took a few selfies in your car. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all," he replied, pleased as punch.

"I feel like I've posed for a bazillion customer pictures. Rei's pretty popular with the fans too, which she hates, but she's sucking it up for you guys. You'd better be grateful." Before Kyo could answer in the affirmative, she sighed airily and changed the subject. "So how are things trackside? It's almost dark."

"They're getting ready for the quarterfinals. Nobu has completely dominated the upper tier and Zen is hanging on in the lower." Minako paused to relay this information and Kyo smiled when he heard her friends cheering. "They're rolling in now for a tune-up. Page me again in about… fifteen minutes?"

"Of course!" she laughed. "You're my inside source on all that exciting drifting we're missing out on."

"Oh, so you're just living vicariously through me?"

"Well, you know…" The tone she adopted simultaneously made him shiver and grin like a fool. "I'd rather be experiencing the action _with_ you, but since I voluntarily relegated myself to this position, talking to you is the next best thing. Later."

There was a sultry note in her salutation that left Kyo wondering if she'd meant that last exchange as innuendo. He didn't really have time to ponder as his father snapped at him to get to work going over the Supra. After swapping out the tires the only thing he found to do was top off the power steering fluid. Oil and coolant levels looked good, suspension was nice and tight, and the clutch was only three days old. Kyo slapped the hood to send Nobu on his way, receiving an easy, confident smile. The kid was a natural.

Zen, however…

As soon as he cut the engine he flung the door open and stumbled out, yanking his helmet off and doubling over like he was going to be sick. Mamoru placed a hand on his back while he took great gulps of cool air. His hair was stringy with sweat dripping into his eyes; Zen blinked rapidly upon righting himself, pushing his bangs back with his trembling dominant left hand. He simply stared at Mamoru's worried expression, unable to articulate a word as he choked on a concoction of adrenaline and the fear of failure. He couldn't really recall how he'd gotten to this point, how he became one of eight people left in the competition. After that first race everything had blurred together.

Zen was shocked into awareness when Tatsuo smacked him between the shoulder blades. "You okay, Zenji? You've done a damn good job so far, so don't throw in the towel now."

"I won't…" The boy coughed, tasted bile. Tatsuo handed him a bottle of water that he downed desperately, dowsing his head with the remainder. "I won't let this team down," Zen finally managed. Jun and Mamoru nodded. They believed in him.

Once Zen returned to the driver's seat, Tatsuo leaned down to speak to him. "The fact that you're moving forward despite being scared shitless means you have what it takes to be a real leader." He looked up into the older, wiser man's eyes and saw a hint of regret. "I didn't do that. When I encountered obstacles I gave up, found a way around instead of pushing through. That's how I know the five of you are going to surpass me and your father. You'll climb to heights we never even dared to imagine." Tatsuo smiled broadly, patted the top of the RX7, and watched Zen head back to the circuit.


	6. Shine

**Chapter Six: Shine**

There were hundreds of lights flashing all around Nobu, glinting off the golden trophy he'd just received and making it impossible to see his surroundings. An announcer was talking but he couldn't really differentiate individual words over the clamor of the audience, nor could he recognize anyone beyond the glare from the stage lights down by his feet. This was the most disorienting victory he'd yet experienced but it would surely pale in comparison to future triumphs. Suddenly a microphone appeared in his face and he could clearly see the commentator now that reflective confetti no longer rained down. "At only sixteen years of age you've just established a name for yourself in the national racing community. What do you feel helped you rise above all the other competitors to claim first place?"

Nobu had done this a few times before so his reply came out fairly naturally. "I definitely couldn't have won without the support of my team. They really helped fine-tune my skills by giving me the Supra, which is an amazing machine. I'm so grateful I got to perform with it. Of course I have to thank my parents for supporting me as well. Getting to this point was a long journey and I'm sure they wished I'd give up and find a different hobby, maybe one that didn't cost so much." The crowd's laughter allowed Nobu to don his typical easy smile. "Lastly I have to give my best friends in Cali a shout-out. If not for them I wouldn't have started doing stupid stuff with cars and showing off for one girl in particular." He turned toward the nearest camera and switched to English. "Natalie, James, Kyle– I love you guys. Thanks for being with me an ocean away."

The commentator gave him a nod and faced the audience. "Humble sentiments from Minamino Nobuyuki, winner of the 2016 Urban Action Grand Prix. Hopefully victory tastes even sweeter since he can share it with his own teammate, Nishino Zenjirou!" The man turned to his left side where Zen stood with the silver trophy. "Now as I understand it, Nishino-san, you have a rather full plate on your table. This was your very first competition, you're the new manager of Noctis Racing, _and_ you're set to inherit your father's international transport company next year. How in the world do you handle all these things?"

Zen refrained from shrugging since any movement would make him start shaking like a leaf. Better to remain stoic. "I just focus on one goal at a time and put all my energy into achieving an outcome I can feel satisfied with. Like Minamino said, I'm able to stand here because I'm part of a great team. They kept pushing me to do my best and evidently my best got me second place alongside someone far more talented than I, so I'm honored to have their support as well as Noctis' numerous fans. Thank you, everyone." The crowd surged in response to his dignified remarks; Zen thought he heard some girl shout that she loved him. He followed Nobu off to one side of the stage, waiting while the semifinalists made their statements.

"This is surreal," Nobu breathed, running a hand through his sweat-styled hair. "I never thought it'd come down to you and me in the end. I almost can't believe it."

"I knew it would be you," Zen returned. "You wanted it more than everyone so you took it. I'm glad I got to race against you." Nobu's big brown eyes were glistening. "Don't start sobbing until after we're done with the media coverage. What would Natalie think?"

"She's seen me cry before." Nobu sniffled and managed to banish his tears of joy. Eventually a stagehand motioned for them to return, telling them where to stand so journalists could capture them from every angle. Their crew and the girls arrived to shower them with congratulations. Nobu found himself being glommed again, but this time he just accepted it with a bashful smile.

"Hey, girls!" one of the photographers called, "Get in close, hug them!" This made the shoot drag on even longer since some of the people that had been about to leave turned around to snap more pictures. "I'd like some shots with everyone. Can you all get on stage?"

The photo that would eventually become the first thing customers saw when they walked into the Noctis shop featured Nobu and Zen holding the gold trophy together while Tatsuo stood between them with his arms slung over their shoulders. Makoto had her arm around Nobu's waist and Kyo stood at her right. Mamoru and Jun stood to Zen's left, all the tallest members of the group framing the victors. Minako and Usagi posed on the floor with the silver trophy between them, and Rei and Ami made up the middle row.

Finally, blessedly, the media people dispersed. Koji came striding across the lawn where the podium was being dismantled and embraced his son in a bear hug. "I'm so proud of you, Zenji. You're a remarkable young man."

"Thanks, Dad…" He lowered his head, muffling his words. "Do you think Mom saw?"

Koji wearily withdrew. "I haven't spoken to her since your tenth birthday, you know."

"I know… but do you think she could have been watching?"

There were a lot of things the man wanted to say: she abandoned us, who cares what she thinks, you have so many friends now, you don't need her, she doesn't matter, she's never coming back… But Koji outright lied and said, "Yes, she could have". Zen hummed at that, rejoined his friends, and his father sighed deeply.

Everyone was still riding the victory high when they congregated at a bar in Roppongi to celebrate. It was owned by an American, country-themed with wooden fixtures, cowboy décor, and paintings of desert sunsets. Tatsuo liked it because he was a whiskey-drinking man and decent whiskey and bourbon came from the American south. The bar also served really good food and had a dance floor with an amateur DJ he still did not familiarize himself with, instead paying for one of the private booths and ordering a big bottle of sake. He didn't condone underage drinking of course, but he figured it was okay to let the kids celebrate a little bit if he supervised them. And he knew Kyo and Mamoru snuck drinks that his of-age employees left in the lounge fridge.

Their group was actually greeted with fanfare; they had rolled up in the racecars and caused a ruckus in the parking lot. This particular area had yet to take down all the Urban Action adornments, probably because a bunch of the volunteers and organizers were getting drunk in izakayas as a way to unwind after the hectic weekend. Zen and Nobu had changed out of their jumpsuits, donning two of the five leftover shirts from the booth. Zen thought they could sign the other three and sell them on eBay or something. Cheers erupted as soon as they entered the bar, shifting to catcalls when the girls appeared. Mamoru saw how uncomfortable this made Ami and Rei and escorted them to the booth while Minako took a detour to the bar and asked for a daiquiri. At least three men offered to put it on their tab.

The sake arrived along with an assortment of finger foods. Tatsuo tasted it before filling all the small cups halfway; it was warm and mild, something that wouldn't burn and put them off it forever. When he raised his choko in a toast he couldn't think of anything particularly eloquent to say. "So, uh, good job everyone. We all deserve a pat on the back for our hard work over the last two days. And obviously a special congrats goes to Nobu-kun and Zenji-kun for kicking so much ass."

"Nice, Dad," Kyo snickered. "Kanpai!" No one hesitated to take the shot and all their cups clanked on the table in perfect harmony.

"Hey, that's not bad," Makoto said, smacking her lips. "Can I have a refill?" Tatsuo topped off her choko while reiterating that it was _very important_ everyone have something to eat.

No one really needed the sake to become intoxicated since the atmosphere did it for them. Minako shared her daiquiri with Kyo and the two of them finished it off before sauntering onto the dance floor where people in jeans and cowboy boots were line dancing to some song neither of them knew but they joined in nonetheless. Usagi and Makoto started sneaking sake refills as Tatsuo, Mamoru and Nobu engaged in a conversation about machining performance parts, and Zen and Ami were discussing which social media avenues the Noctis brand had yet to take. Jun eventually sighed and stood up, drawing Rei's attention. "Where are you going?"

"I need a smoke," he answered. She pursed her lips and followed him outside to the giant truck that towed the car trailer. Jun took a cigarette from Tatsuo's pack in the center console and a lighter from his pocket.

"You shouldn't do that, you know," she chastised.

"I know," he said through one side of his mouth. "I'm not habitual. These aren't even my cigs."

"Why do you carry a lighter if you don't regularly smoke?"

His shoulders hunched forward. "Just in case. Fire's good for a lot of things." Rei continued judging him in silence as he took a few drags but mostly let it burn, ashes sprinkling the pavement. Once finished Jun flicked the cigarette away and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Want to go back in?"

"Not really," she muttered. "Bars are definitely not my scene, especially not the ones around here."

"Why, because you got whistled at?"

"You're not from here so you don't get it." She regretted sounding condescending.

"Try me."

It was easy to find his eyes in the darkness. "Roppongi is for entertaining foreigners, like the Americans in there. And a lot of them, not all of course, fetishize Asian women. So I don't want to be viewed as an object."

"Then we can leave," Jun said simply, indicating the cars behind him. "I'll take you home in one of these." His eyes flicked to each vehicle several times before settling on the one that was least off-limits, the Supra, and he held the passenger door open.

Rei didn't hesitate to get in but once seated she pictured the amazing feats Nobu had accomplished with this car, and she wondered if Jun could drive like that as well. "Can you drift?" she asked at a stoplight.

"It's an essential skill for rallycross," he replied.

"But are you good at it?" she pressed.

"I think so, but everyone will be able to judge for themselves when the Red Sun Rally comes in December."

"Are you nervous? It's only a few months away."

"Yeah, I haven't had enough practice. Hard when there are no off-road courses in the city." Rei heard his accent coming through more than usual; Jun must have been quite worried. Certainly he was under a lot of pressure to perform well since he followed in the wake of two champions. She decided to change the subject completely.

"How do you actually pronounce your name?" Jun glanced at her, eyebrow arched. "In Finnish I mean. It's not really 'Jun', right?"

"Right… it's yo-nee. The J is a Y sound."

"Jouni…" Rei tried it with different inflections, making him chuckle. "What about your family name? Why is it your father's if you were raised by your mother?"

"Her surname is 'Korhonen' which is kind of embarrassing– 'korho' means 'deaf'. I guess she thought it wasn't very prestigious or something."

"Why didn't you tell Kitano that 'Jun' made no sense as a nickname?"

"How was I supposed to know? I still don't know what it means."

They shared a laugh, then Rei put a finger on her lips. "I guess the kanji that best matches the pronunciation is 'intercalary', like a leap year, but it could also be 'genius' if you use the Chinese reading. Then there's 'cycle' or 'circulation' but that sounds weird. 'Shield', 'martyr', 'patrol', 'obedience', stop me when you hear one you like…"

What Jun liked was the sound of her voice. He let her go on until pulling up to the curb outside her house. "We're here."

"Oh! I didn't even notice." Rei hastily gathered her coat and wallet and got out, leaning back down to give Jun a smile. "Thank you. Sorry I keep using you as my personal taxi."

"I don't mind driving you," he replied. "You need to get somewhere, you let me know. Trains are too crowded."

"So are the streets! Well, usually. Not this late I suppose…" Ugh, she had to stop rambling. "Good night, Jun. Please drive responsibly."

"No promises," he grinned. She rolled her eyes but still smiled. "See you at school tomorrow."

Rei stepped back and held her breath as he drove off, half expecting him to rev the motor or do something that would irritate all the neighbors. But he didn't and she sighed tiredly, or maybe dreamily because Jun was rather like a knight who had borrowed another's steed in order to rescue her from uncomfortable situation. Maybe that really did make her a princess of some sort.

* * *

Kyo had become fairly riled up after the DJ switched from playing country songs to ones of the electronic variety. Instead of dancing beside Minako he was now positioned behind her, wondering how good it would feel if their vertical orientation went horizontal because god damn the girl could move. It had to be athletic endurance that kept her going until midnight, or maybe the constant resurgence of endorphins they both experienced whenever a really good song came on and they fell into the music. Despite swimming in a sea of other bodies the only ones they acknowledged were each other.

The night had to end eventually, though. Mamoru made his way through the dancers and startled Kyo with his loud voice. "We're all heading out. Your dad and Nobu are going back to the garage while Zen and I take the girls home. I can trust you not to drive Minako anywhere until you're sober, right?"

"Yup, of course," Kyo slurred. He must have shared five or six drinks with her, all of which she'd gotten for free. It must be nice being a hot girl in a bar.

"Just to be on the safe side I gave your keys to the bartender." Kyo promptly forgot this piece of information as Mamoru clapped him on the shoulder and left.

Twenty minutes later the exhausted couple supported one another as they attempted to walk to the NSX, which was very far away and kept changing parking spots; that had to be why they were zigzagging across the asphalt. Minako gratefully draped herself over the Acura's roof and let the cold metal assuage her, exuding a long sigh as her sweaty body cooled in the night air. Kyo did the same thing by flopping onto the hood, arms spread wide while he stared at the sky. He was fatigued, parched and starving, but somehow retained enough energy to be aroused. "That was fun," Minako said, turning her head to look at him. "Best night I've had in a while."

"Me too," Kyo croaked. "I haven't done anything like that in ages. You're amazing."

"Thanks!" she tittered. They went back to winding down in silence until Minako's legs started wobbling. "Hey, scooch over." With a grunt of effort Kyo repositioned himself so that his head was up on the windshield and one foot dangled over the grill. Because the hood flared where it met the fenders it cradled the two of them together as they focused on the invisible stars overhead. "There's too much light pollution here," Minako said, raising her arm as if to grab them. "In Izu they were so beautiful, sparkling over the water."

"It was like that in Sapporo, too," Kyo murmured, also lifting a hand to the heavens. "Just stars to the horizon no matter which way you looked." He sighed and their arms came down together, Minako's hand landing atop his. He could feel her pulse in her palm, not racing like it had been but not back to resting rate either. His head lolled toward her. "You getting cold?"

"Kind of, but I was really hot in there so it feels good." Her lips quirked at one corner. "I think I sweated out most of the alcohol. Too bad I can't be the one to drive _you_ home."

"Sorry you have to wait around for me," he mumbled.

"It's fine, not like I'm uncomfortable."

"That's good." Minako nodded, gave a small laugh, and then narrowed her eyes a little while they continued staring at one another, pink irises shifting slightly as she scrutinized every feature. If Kyo were sober he would have suavely asked if she liked what she saw, but evidently that wasn't necessary because the next moment she pushed herself forward and her lips alighted gently upon his own. It took him more than a few seconds to register what was happening, and once he did he inhaled greatly through his nose to provide his lungs with the oxygen she had stolen, slipping a hand behind her neck to pull her even closer. She breathed another laugh as Kyo returned the kiss this time, full lips all but smothering her smaller mouth in their quest for everything she could give. She broke away to tell him to slow down, giggled again at his grunted apology, and continued offering soft kisses that he gladly accepted even though his whole body yearned for more.

It was almost too much for Kyo to handle, making out with Minako after being exposed to all the sultry ways in which her body could move. He felt lightheaded and kind of floaty, like there wasn't solid metal beneath him, and he was so hard for her it hurt. A moan got caught in his throat when she finally gave him the deep kisses he desired, her tongue occasionally slipping against his own. Her mouth was warm and tasted like all kinds of fruit, the sugary-sweetness getting him drunk all over again. He came crashing down from the high when Minako abruptly pushed herself away with a gasp in response to some assholes who whistled at them. "Yeah! Get it girl!"

"Fuck," Kyo hissed, dismayed by the way she slid off the hood and looked at him wide-eyed like she'd done something wrong. He sat up, letting his dizziness subside before deciding it was time to get out of this parking lot. He patted himself all over, frowning when he didn't feel the bulk of his keys. "Shit, shit, shit…" he muttered, looking around for a glint on the ground. "Where the fuck are my fucking keys?"

"Mamoru gave them to the bartender," Minako supplied, and he instantly relaxed. "Ask for some water and pretzels or something while you're in there."

"Good idea," he rasped. Booze tended to do that to his voice. Kyo jogged back out to Minako, tossing her a bottle of water before unlocking the car so they could get in. "They ran out of pretzels, sorry."

"That's okay." She drank for a minute, then viewed him sidelong. "You swear too much."

"So I've been told," Kyo snickered. "Were you going to give me directions to your house or…?"

"Oh, right." She hastily secured herself within the five-point harness. "Uh, let's see… Do you know how to get to Ajiro Park? I live right near it." Kyo had no clue since he seldom went east of Fuchu; it was too crowded in the metro. Minako ended up using her phone's app to navigate them to Azabu via a maze of residential streets. "There it is, the yellow one." The boy pulled up behind her father's silver sedan on the street, gripping the steering wheel with both hands and blowing out a breath. Minako faltered while reaching for the door, brow furrowed upon facing him. "I'm sorry, Kyo."

His head whipped toward her. "For what?"

"I shouldn't have kissed you. You weren't completely in your right mind."

"No, it… it's fine. I wanted it. I'll take anything you offer." He flushed with nervousness. "I really like you, Mina."

She grinned. "Apparently enough to give me a nickname. Well I like you too, Kyosuke."

It didn't quite click for him that this confession was the result of their constant flirting. "Why?" he asked, suddenly insecure.

"Oh gee, let me think about it." Minako scoffed slightly and began listing things on her fingers. "You're a good-looking guy who drives hot cars. You're witty, determined, loyal, and unapologetically forthright. But what I like most is that you treat me like a regular person. You haven't put me up on a pedestal or tried tearing me down to make yourself feel better."

Kyo had sobered up enough to understand where she was coming from. Her Instagram persona was just that, the best-looking version of herself who seemed infallible to certain followers. Others thrived on the opportunity to criticize everything she presented, but Minako was strong enough to handle it. She didn't depend on the opinions of strangers for validation. Kyo's level of fame was far below hers and limited to very specific circles, but he still knew what it felt like to be on the receiving end of jealousy. The racing community only saw him as the son of the legendary Kitano Tatsuo, unwilling or unable to accept that he'd risen to his current position through his own hard work. "I get what you mean, at least partially," Kyo said, offering an upturned palm. She met his hand with a smile. "I guess in that way we're kind of… good for each other."

Now Minako was blushing, too. "So what do we do now? I'm used to guys making the first move, but I kind of already did."

"Then let me make the second one." Kyo leaned across the gear shift to kiss her but stopped short thanks to the harness. "God dammit…" he grumbled, scrambling to free himself.

Minako managed to withhold the majority of her amusement. "Here, let me come to you." Kyo watched in awe as she nimbly maneuvered out of her seat and onto his lap, straddling him while crossing her arms behind his neck. His hands instantly went to her hips.

"That was fucking magical. Are you even human?"

"Of course!" she laughed, "And stop _swearing_."

He offered her a smirk. "Make me."

Minako knew it was a ploy to make her kiss him again but she didn't care. This time she didn't go about it as gently, attacking his lips with fervor, flicking her tongue across them but retreating before he had the chance to meet it. Then she started feinting actual kisses, hovering a breath away from his mouth and leaving him gaping at empty air. Kyo prevented this by tugging her flush against him and wrapping his long arms around her back to hold her in place. He didn't offer the barrage she'd been expecting, trailing soft kisses down her neck instead. At her collarbone he drew her skin between his teeth and sucked gently, leaving nothing more than a faint pink mark. "You're pretty good at this for a guy who's never had a girlfriend," Minako remarked.

Kyo cut his eyes at her, their silver sheen making him look a bit dangerous. "Who told you that?"

"N-Nobu…" she answered, gasping as he nipped harder at the side of her neck. "It's not like I care… I'm just surprised."

He leaned back to regard her with half-lidded eyes. "There's never been anyone I wanted to invest time and energy in. In high school I was like a monk who only cared about cars and racing. I still am, to be honest." Kyo tilted his head, looking her up and down a few times. "But when you're right in front of me wearing that tiny top and those tiny shorts… you make me want to do things that compromise my celibacy."

The notion of claiming his virginity was very tempting, but it was also one in the morning and Minako had no more energy to exert. "We can get to those things in the near future, but now I really need some sleep."

"Of course– you have school tomorrow." As much as Kyo wanted to keep Minako exactly where she was he had to acknowledge the fact that he had run out of steam, too. At least she gave him a kiss before getting out, and another when he rolled down the window that lasted so long he wasn't sure if she was actually leaving. "Mina… we have to… stop."

She pushed herself away. "God, I _have_ to go. I can't sleep through first period any more." The way Kyo regarded her with shameless desire made her want to climb right back into his lap. He looked so sexy sitting there with one arm on the door and the other draped across the wheel. _'Get out of here before I end up going home with you!'_

"I'm not leaving until you go in," he said. Minako regretfully turned her back on him, feeling his gaze on her ass as she fished a house key from her pocket belt.

 _'Don't look at him, don't look at him…'_ Except then she whirled around as an idea occurred to her. "Kyosuke! I'm taking you out on a proper date sometime!"

"I'll look forward to it!" he shouted back, beaming, and finally drove away.

* * *

As the largest of her friends it made sense that Makoto had the highest tolerance for alcohol, and as the second smallest after Ami, logically Usagi's tolerance would be much less. So the fact that she'd gone shot for shot with Makoto without showing any sign of intoxication was kind of miraculous in Mamoru's eyes. When he got to her house, however, he found himself faced with a conundrum because she was sound asleep. "Usako…" he tried, gently shaking her, then spoke her name louder while poking her arm. No reaction whatsoever. Mamoru bit his lip and looked up at her darkened home. He really, _really_ didn't want to wake her parents and be exiled from their good graces, but Usagi did have a little brother. He stepped out of the LFA and picked up a few pebbles off the sidewalk, tossing them at the window and breathing a sigh of relief when it opened.

"Wha…" Shingo groaned, rubbing sleep from his eyes. "Who's there?"

"Shingo, I need your help." Mamoru made sure to keep his voice down.

"Ch-Ch-Chiba-sama?!" he gawked. "What're you doing here?"

"It's Usagi– she passed out during the drive here. She drank too much at the after-party." Shingo snorted. "I can get her to bed if you let me in."

"Yeah yeah, I got you." Shingo disappeared with a yawn, waving from the front step a moment later. "C'mon in. Try not to hit her fat head on anything." Mamoru gathered Usagi in his arms, carrying her bridal-style through the front door. Since he'd never actually been inside her house the first thing he noted was that it smelled like a bakery. Usagi said her mom was always making things to share with her friends and the neighbors; the latest batch of treats must have been cinnamon rolls. He slipped out of his shoes, avoided bumping into both a coat rack and small table, and tried to discern his gloomy surroundings. "Up here," Shingo beckoned from the top of the stairs. "Her room's down the hall."

Mamoru scaled them carefully, thankful they didn't creak beneath his weight. Shingo opened a door with a floral plaque denoting Usagi's domain. In the faint light cast by streetlamps he could see a four-post bed, a vanity desk littered with cosmetics, an open door to her closet, and a giant pile of stuffed animals. He hadn't expected it to be so frilly-girly but it really did matched her demeanor. Shingo watched closely as Mamoru lowered his sister onto the bed, handling her like she was made of glass. Once atop her familiar sheets she curled into a ball and he drew the blanket up to her shoulders, fingers lingering there for the briefest of seconds before he turned away with a sigh. "You sure are a nice guy," Shingo stated. "No wonder she likes you."

Mamoru smiled. "You could be a really good brother by finding some aspirin for her to take when she wakes up."

Shingo folded his arms with a scoff. "Yeah, that's something a _good_ brother would do. Maybe she shouldn't have gotten drunk in the first place." He softened a little beneath Mamoru's patient stare. "Minamino and Nishino were really cool though, so I guess it's not her fault for wanting to celebrate their win."

"You saw the races?"

"Well yeah, I had to learn more about all these guys my dumb sister keeps hanging out with." Shingo rolled his eyes. "No one on your team wants to date her, right? I mean, all _my_ friends wish they could."

"Don't worry, Usagi is safe from their advances."

"Good, 'cause if she left to follow one of them around the world or something… our parents would be really sad."

Mamoru knelt to look Shingo in the eye. "Would they really be upset if traveling the world was what she wanted to do? What if she decides to enter an exchange program or something?"

"That's different," the boy answered. "It's fine if it's her choice, but I– _they_ don't want her to leave because of some guy who probably doesn't really love her. Usagi trusts too easily, and she's always rushing into things without a plan. So if she's gonna keep hanging out with your team…" Shingo's light brown eyes searched Mamoru's deep blue ones. "Make sure she doesn't get hurt doing something impetuous." He had just learned that word and felt proud for being able to use it in a sentence. He held out his pinky. "Promise me, Chiba-sama. Keep Usagi safe just like you did tonight."

"I will," Mamoru said, curling his little finger around Shingo's. He would have to cut it off if he broke that promise.


	7. Drive

**Chapter Seven: Drive**

"Here we go, the moment of truth." Nobu placed the rice balls he'd just finished forming on the low table before Makoto. "Don't feel like you need to pad my ego or anything. Tell me if they taste like garbage."

She hummed with interest at how aesthetically pleasing they were; Nobu had been very meticulous in achieving their equilateral triangle shape. She picked one up and saw some sesame and poppy seeds sprinkled among the grains. Makoto finally bit into the rice ball, a savory blend of marinated pork and light sauce dancing across her tongue. "This is great," she commented, and Nobu blew out the nervous breath he withheld. "I think you're really getting the hang of traditional cooking techniques."

"Thank god. You have no idea how many tries it took me to get the ingredient ratios right." He dropped into the sofa with a sigh, then directed a smug smile at the ceiling. "That's another recipe under my belt. I can't wait to surprise my folks on their anniversary."

"When is it again? You still want my help, right?"

"April twentieth. And yes, definitely. You might be turning me into a master chef but there's no way I can handle everything I have planned for them on my own." Nobu transferred to the floor where he snagged a rice ball off the plate and ate it in two large bites. "Thanks, by the way," he spoke around the morsel.

Makoto turned to him. "For what?"

"For letting me abuse your kitchen all the time."

"Well, it's not like you don't know what you're doing. I'd be much more reluctant if you didn't even know how to handle a knife." Nobu smiled broadly at that, and Makoto averted her eyes to the table as her stomach fluttered. She knew he was off-limits because of Natalie but that didn't stop her from fantasizing. Nobu was everything she wanted her ideal boyfriend to be. She had accepted the fact that she couldn't have him, so it was more than enough that he considered her a close friend. They took turns cooking for each other, Makoto teaching him about Japanese cuisine while Nobu surprised her with totally unfamiliar recipes. She had never heard of a quesadilla before meeting him, or enchiladas, or dined on seafood linguine or blackened fish tacos.

Despite the SoCal attitude Nobu wasn't a slacker by any means; Makoto really admired his desire to work hard in achieving his goals. His 'lazy' days were occasionally spent drawing, strumming his guitar, tossing footballs or Frisbees to the many friends he'd made in class, or helping Minako hone her volleyball skills. Most of the time Nobu could be found in Makoto's apartment amalgamating fresh ingredients into a meal they shared followed by a co-op video game, usually Samurai or Dynasty Warriors. The comfortable domesticity of their platonic relationship was a guilty pleasure for Makoto, one her friends didn't even know about.

A commotion in the street interrupted their play session with Luna. Makoto put down the feather lure to peer through brocade curtains, her eyebrow arching as Zen spied her and waved. He stood on the sidewalk where an unlabeled semi-truck had parked. "What's going on out there?" Nobu inquired.

Makoto faced him. "Nishino-san is here with a big truck."

"Really?" He joined her at the window, frowning as he watched the ramp lower. Zen had quirks, that much had become obvious by now, but the whole "doing whatever I want whenever I want" aspect of his personality was something Nobu really didn't like. "What on earth are you doing, Zen?" he demanded upon venturing outside.

The blond boy smiled kindly and greeted Makoto before replying. "I stopped by your house first but you weren't there. Your parents said you were probably with Kino-san. It's convenient she lives just down the road."

"That doesn't answer my question. What are you doing here?"

"Dropping off a present for you," he explained. Nobu's eyes narrowed in suspicion but Zen ignored the look, surveying the truck driver and an assistant as a giant rectangular box with a bow came down the ramp. Once it was on the road he thanked the transporters, facing Nobu and Makoto with a gleam in his eye. "When is your birthday?"

"November eighth," Nobu supplied.

"Oh, so I'm not that early. This is actually your reward for winning Urban Action but you can also consider it my birthday gift to you." Zen indicated he go ahead, but the box was so large Nobu had to enlist Makoto's help in tearing all the perforations. Even after breaking down the cardboard there was no way it would all fit in her recycling bin.

Nobu's heart began pounding when he discovered the distinct shape of a car enveloped in a white cloth cover. He shot Zen a wide-eyed look, receiving a nod. Gently he began unzipping the cover while Makoto watched in curiosity. Nobu abruptly stepped back when he revealed the front end, hands on his head in utter disbelief. "No frickin' way, Zen. You did not."

"I did," the blond boy grinned.

"What car is it?" Makoto wondered. As an answer Nobu practically tore off the remaining cloth and stared in awe at the vehicle's sleek black silhouette. Even Makoto could feel the power in its design.

Zen turned toward her. "Our friend is now the proud owner of a 2016 Nissan GTR Nismo Edition. It's fresh from the factory so he'll be the first one to drive it. Also, there's a little something on the driver's side A-pillar."

Nobu gingerly opened the door and felt his head spin as New Car Smell assailed his nose, then he just stood there with the handle in his grip for a minute. Never in his wildest dreams had he envisioned driving Godzilla let alone receiving one as a _present_. In the United States the Nismo Edition retailed for $150,000 so he couldn't really fathom how much yen Zen had just spent on him. "Can I have the key?" he timidly inquired.

"You can have the whole fob," Zen smirked, tossing it over the roof. Nobu caught it and sucked in a breath before slipping into the driver's seat. It was almost surreal to realize the black and red interior hadn't been touched by anyone besides engineers, and speaking of those, he finally noticed the signature on the A-pillar just to his right. It belonged to Hasegawa Hiroshi, chief designer of the GTR. Zen had gone directly to Nissan in order to have this one manufactured specifically for Nobu, considering his large, muscular build in proportion to the standard interior and removing certain features to reduce weight. Noctis was still going to mod and tune it, but as it stood right now it was definitely the fastest car around for kilometers. "Are you just going to sit there or take it for a spin?" Zen asked, snapping him out of his stupor.

Nobu hastily buckled his seatbelt. "Makoto, get in!" She leaned down to give him a dubious look. "I want you to ride with me for the maiden voyage."

"Oh, all right." Once she was situated Nobu turned the key in the ignition and made an appreciative sound deep in his throat at the engine noise that greeted his ears. "Is it good for you?" Makoto teased.

"I need a minute," he replied, and she snickered some more. Nobu felt the idle with his whole body, pictured the intricate mechanical dance between injectors, pistons and camshafts. "Okay!" he cheered, "Let's roll."

Zen waved as they drove off, wondering if Nobu had a destination in mind where he could play with his new toy or if he'd simply tear up the expressways around Tokyo. Upon receiving his RX7 Zen had driven straight to the Mazda Turnpike and spent the whole day exploring twisty mountain roads, but that area was best experienced at leisurely speeds, not terrifying ones Godzilla was capable of achieving. He looked skyward and directed a prayer to the car gods. _'I hope the three of them come back in one piece.'_

It was not the Mazda Turnpike in Hakone but Mount Haruna in Gunma prefecture that Nobu made the two-hour drive to, but since Zen had dropped the GTR off before noon that left plenty of daylight for him to act like he belonged in _Initial D_. Mount Haruna was in fact the real-world location of the fictional Mount Akina, its winding roads helping generations of drifters perfect their skills. Much to his chagrin the highway turned out to be quite laden with traffic as tourists flocked to the area to see trees donning their autumn finery. "It's so pretty up here," Makoto remarked. "I always wanted to go hiking but I couldn't convince the other girls to come with me."

"None of them strike me as the rustic type," Nobu said. "They're all pretty posh."

"Posh?" she repeated. "What does that mean?" It embarrassed Makoto to admit her English was atrocious.

"Like, city slickers. Glamorous. Kind of… snooty." He looked at her sidelong to see if she'd been offended.

Makoto tittered. "Oh, I understand. That definitely describes Rei. Ami's too much of a homebody to explore the great outdoors, Mina hates bugs, and Usagi manages to get herself lost at the mall when we all go shopping! Still, they're the best friends I could ask for." She turned toward the boy. "Do you miss your friends?"

"Every day," Nobu answered, "but they're pretty good about staying in contact. They get that I'm super busy with school now. The American system is _way_ too lax compared to here, but I guess that's why some of the smartest people in the world are Japanese."

"And oldest," Makoto stated, "although you basically have to live off fish and seaweed."

He wrinkled his nose. "No thanks, I need my bacon double cheeseburgers." Makoto laughed again, the sound warming Nobu. She was nothing but genuine and he was so grateful to have made a friend like her. He was grateful for all of his new friends, really, because they had been so inviting. He connected with the girls just as easily as the guys, though Rei and Ami were still on the fringe, but that would be remedied next month because Minako had informed him that October 22nd was her birthday and the ten of them were going to a karaoke lounge.

"That's a thing she does every year," Makoto had explained after school. "It starts out innocently enough but soon turns into a competition. We do solos, then duets, then ensembles. I hope you and the other guys can sing because you'll never hear the end of it if you can't. Just don't upstage her– Ami did that one time and Mina pouted the rest of the night."

"Ami can sing?" Nobu inquired, surprised.

"She's actually really good. You wouldn't know it by looking at her. Just don't stare, she hates that." Makoto smiled in reminiscence of past birthday parties. "Rei and I sound the same so we do a lot of duets, and Usagi's usually the one choosing our songs. I swear she knows every pop song ever. It has to be all the anime she watches– we always end up singing at least one theme from a show she likes, like Inuyasha." The brunette paused to study him. "If you play the guitar and drums that means you're musically-inclined, right?"

Nobu blushed. "Err, well, I like to think so…" James had asked him to join the garage band but Natalie said she didn't want him distracting her, and he acquiesced because it wasn't worth the fight. "I usually just sing in the shower where no one can hear me."

Makoto nodded sagely. "My advice is to pick a song you like and master it. Practice the hell out of it, and when Mina forces you to get on stage –because she will _drag_ you if you don't go willingly– sing your heart out. Then she'll leave you alone for the rest of the night. Make sure to tell the other guys, too."

"Thanks for sharing strategy with me," Nobu had said, taking it to heart.

Minako's birthday party was in three weeks but he put it out of mind for now, focusing on the natural beauty of Mount Haruna and the way his GTR ( _his_ GTR!) felt right at home on the meandering roads. He kept an eye out for an empty stretch where he could flex its muscles, some place with tight corners to whip around; unfortunately they made it to the summit without such an opportunity. At least the viewpoint was nice. "Let's take a selfie," Nobu suggested, holding up his phone before Makoto could really protest. "I have to share this panorama with everyone back home."

A few minutes after uploading the photo to Facebook, Natalie called. Makoto didn't intend to eavesdrop on their conversation; she couldn't understand most of it anyway but the tone of their voices made it clear what they discussed. "Hey babe, what's up?" Nobu sounded so jovial at first.

"Hi. Where are you?" Natalie asked.

"Mount Haruna. Google it, it's so beautiful."

"Yeah, it looks gorgeous. Kind of like that girl you're with."

Nobu's eyes flicked to Makoto as his expression dimmed. "That's Makoto. I told you about her, remember? She's the one who's been teaching me to make real Japanese food."

"You didn't tell me she's, like, an amazon. I saw that victory picture on your team's website, the one where she has her arm around you. I was already pissed when I saw that blonde bimbo in the photo, too!"

Nobu rolled his eyes. "I'm not going to apologize for having female friends, Nat. That includes Makoto. We have a lot in common so we hang out often, that's all. You don't need to be jealous of her."

"Uh, excuse me?" she scoffed. "Who said I was jealous?"

"Oh, come on. Why else would you call me right after I shared that picture?" He glanced at his watch. "It's four in the morning there. Why are you up so early on a Sunday?"

The reply seemed long in coming, and when it did Natalie sounded guilty. "I haven't gone to bed yet. Kyle's parents went on a cruise so he had a party. He's conked out but James and I are tending the bonfire."

"I see." Nobu dragged a hand down his face. "Please get some sleep, and tell James I said hi."

"He says 'hi' back, and…" Natalie giggled. "He wants you to buy him a plane ticket too so he can snowboard down Mount Fuji."

"Tell him that's illegal, but my team manager also snowboards and he has a winter cabin in Sapporo. James has to pay his own way here, though." Nobu smiled as his best friend unleashed a string of tired insults in the background.

"I miss you so much," Natalie sighed. "I love you."

"Love you too, Nat. Good night." He groaned after ending the call, rubbing the back of his neck before facing Makoto. "Sorry about all that. Let's keep going. There has to be somewhere around here I can let loose."

Makoto nodded and didn't say anything for a long time as Nobu drove on. "Is Natalie mad at you?"

He nodded tersely, jaw clenched. "It's getting ridiculous. Ever since she found Mina's Instagram and I told her we were friends at school, Nat has been convinced I'm going to cheat on her. We've been together going on three years so I don't get why she doesn't trust me all of a sudden. She knows I'd never do something like that. I'm not that kind of guy."

Makoto thought for a moment. "Maybe Mina and I shouldn't hang out with you when she gets here, just to smooth things over."

"Screw that!" Nobu exclaimed. "You two are my friends and it's not your fault she can't accept that I'm not going around sticking my dick in everyone like a damn dog."

Makoto had never heard him swear before; he must have been really upset by Natalie's unfounded distrust. She wanted to offer advice but had no idea what to say, so she remained silent as the GTR's engine hum drowned out the rest of the world. She allowed herself the tiniest shred of satisfaction at the fact that Nobu hadn't even mentioned obtaining his dream car to Natalie. At the moment of its unveiling he had wanted Makoto with him, not his girlfriend.

* * *

Usagi stepped into her boot and winced as the ragged insole poked through her sock. She took it off, gave it a look of dismay, then gathered the other one and tossed the pair into the trash bin. "Mom!" she called, entering the living room where her parents were both relaxing before dinner, "I need new boots. Can I have next month's allowance now?"

Ikuko faced her with a slight frown. "You went through September's already?"

"Well, yeah! I spent it during Urban Action on trains and food."

Kenji lowered the novel he was engrossed in. "That wasn't a necessity though."

"It was! My friends needed my help during that weekend. I couldn't let them down!"

"I don't think a new pair of boots is a necessity, either," Ikuko added.

"They are!" Usagi whined. "The weather's turning bad and all I have are my sneakers. You don't want me to _ruin_ them by stepping in rain puddles on the way to and from school, right? Then I wouldn't have _any_ shoes."

Her parents shared a knowing look. Usagi had become quite devious in her later teen years, making it sound like it'd be their fault if they didn't indulge her every whim. There was always enough need hidden in her wants to justify them. Kenji and Ikuko had also taken notice of her booming social life. She went out more, associated with new people, ( _boys_ , Shingo told them, but from what he relayed the boys seemed too busy to entertain notions of romance), immersing herself in unfamiliar environments and activities to see what struck her fancy. She didn't really have any hobbies so they were glad Usagi wanted to try on new hats, but she needed money in order to pursue the ones that fit. Thus the Tsukinos had come to a decision.

"You know, Usagi…" her father said slowly, "You'd have plenty of money to spend on shoes, clothes, and whatever else you want if you got a job."

Usagi's eyes widened. "A job?" This concept had never occurred to her before. "But what could I do? I'm not good at anything!"

"That's true," Ikuko agreed, eliciting an indignant gasp, "but I'm sure one of your friends has a lead. Maybe Ami could help you get hired at her mother's hospital."

"Or you could assist at the Hikawa Shrine," Kenji suggested.

"I think I saw a sign that the flower shop near Makoto is hiring."

Usagi crossed her arms and frowned. "They are not, Mom. It's almost winter– there aren't any flowers being sold besides poinsettias."

Ikuko waved off the fact that Usagi had seen right through her white lie. "Still, it would be worth asking them to help you. You're at the age where you need to learn the value of money. You can take a personal finance class, open your own bank account, start saving up for when you decide to go to college…"

Usagi's gaze fell to the floor at that. "Which we're definitely not pressuring you about," Kenji quickly added. "It's better you figure out what you want to do than have us make an aimless investment."

"Yeah, thanks Dad. I'll start browsing classifieds online." Usagi dejectedly returned to her room, not hearing the muted argument that arose between her parents regarding her inability to choose a career path. She sat on her bed and opened her laptop. _'What sort of job can I do when I don't have any skills?'_ It was a flimsy excuse to avoid the search since a good employer would teach her what she needed to know. The idea of working with Makoto sounded fun but the flower shop was kind of a one-woman operation; the only time she actually worked alongside her boss was during spring, the peak season. On impulse Usagi shot Mamoru a text. **Hey, the garage wouldn't happen to be in need of a cute girl like me, would it?**

 **Why do you ask?**

 **My parents want me to get a job.** She grew nervous when he didn't reply right away, wondering if he judged her reluctance to work when he'd been at it for years. Why did Mamoru do physical labor for Noctis, anyway? Wasn't it enough that he earned money by winning races? Usagi reasoned everything simply tied into his lifestyle. Why couldn't _she_ find something like that, something to pursue with every fiber of her being?

A text alert prevented her from spiraling into self-doubt. **Can you come by the garage tomorrow? Tatsuo wants to talk with you.**

Oh god, that sounded like she had an interview. **What time?** And what did people even wear to interviews?

 **Around noon, when we're on break. I'll cover your train and bus fare.**

Usagi stared at that second sentence for a minute. **Thanks, Mamo-chan. I'll definitely be there tomorrow on time.** She included a smiley face before falling back onto her pillows with a sigh. This was likely the best opportunity she was going to get so she had to make the most of it. Even though it was Saturday she didn't stay up late watching anime for once, brushing her teeth and getting into bed before 23:00 so she'd be well-rested.

Usagi gathered her long hair into a neat bun and zipped up her cropped jacket, bidding her family goodbye. She didn't tell them where she was going, leaving them to assume she'd meet up with her friends at Crown Game Center. Arriving at Noctis once again, she entered the lobby and instantly felt at ease when Mamoru flashed a smile. "Everyone's in the lounge, I assume?" she asked. She noted he wasn't wearing his jumpsuit but jeans and layered shirts. So even he had days off.

"Yep, just come on back. And you look great," he commented. _'You always look beautiful.'_

"Thanks, but I'm really nervous." Mamoru placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder before they passed through the locker room and crossed the square. Usagi held her breath as he opened the door to the lounge. All the mechanics greeted her exuberantly, then Mamoru led her up the staircase opposite the room. Tatsuo awaited them in the space she assumed was Zen's office, and across the landing she could see a closed door to Mamoru's apartment. "It's nice to meet you again, Kitano-san," she said, gripping his hand with sweaty fingers.

"Tsukino Usagi, is it? The one my son calls Tsuki-chan?" She nodded. "Mamoru tells me you're looking for work."

"I am," she confirmed.

Tatsuo looked thoughtful. "You've been here before, right? Back in early September? You were manning the sales counter with Mamoru."

"Y-yes, that was me." Usagi scolded herself for stammering, wondering if the man was aware he presented such an imposing figure thanks to his tall, lithe frame and stern visage. She wanted to avoid disappointing him at all cost.

"She also helped out during Urban Action," Mamoru added.

Tatsuo hummed. "Right. The five of you seem to be a unit." He smiled softly at that, making Usagi wish she could read his thoughts. "You and your friends were a lot better for business than I anticipated, but I suppose it's hard for young fellows to ignore pretty girls calling to them." He sat on the edge of Zen's desk and stuck his hands in his pockets. "There's really only one position I can put you in, Usagi, and that's back at the front desk. Having you be the first thing our customers see would be really good for business, better than walking in on one of my greasy employees. You have to be courteous in-person and over the phone, and be able to answer common questions regarding the services we offer and parts we sell."

"Well, I'm pretty good at memorizing things…" Usagi allowed herself a small shrug. Her duties didn't seem so hard, presuming she got the job.

"That's great," Tatsuo smiled, then it faded. "There's one hurdle you might find too high to overcome after working here for a while, though." Usagi tilted her head. "Your gender. The majority of your customers will be men, and because you're a pretty girl they're instantly going to assume you don't know anything. This industry has been a boy's club since the very beginning, when Uchiyama Komanosuke produced the Takuri in 1907. All of the major auto manufacturers were founded by men– Toyota, Honda, Nissan, Subaru, Mitsubishi, Suzuki."

Usagi considered it. "So you're saying I'll have to deal with guys who talk down to me. That happens in school all the time." Mamoru glowered, wishing they went to the same high school so he could tell off condescending assholes. Usagi was too precious.

"Well," Tatsuo said, slapping his legs, "if you think you can handle that, you start Monday. Mamoru can answer any questions you have during your driving lesson."

"My _what?_ "

The man grinned. "I can't let you work for me without knowing how to handle cars. There'll be instances when we need you to move them." She remained agape.

"Let's go to the garage and you can pick something out," Mamoru said amiably. Usagi just looked at him like a deer in the headlights. "It's fine that you don't have a permit because you won't be taking anything off the premises."

Usagi didn't say anything until they were back in the open air, then she began wailing. "Mamo-chan, I can't _drive!_ I've barely been in my dad's car! I don't know what any of the parts are called!"

He chuckled at her misgivings. "Relax, Usako. I know a foolproof method that'll have you zipping around the track by the end of the day. It's the same way Koji taught me to drive when I was ten."

"When you were _ten_ ," she grouched. "Everyone here has way more experience than me. I'll look stupid."

Mamoru entered the garage attached to the shop and held out his arm to indicate the double row of parked sports cars. "Pick one."

Usagi curled her toes to prevent herself from shaking like a leaf. She'd seen a few of the vehicles in Noctis' collection but had no idea there were so many of them. Some older, some new, some with sponsor stickers and some without, all different colors. She definitely didn't want to take the chance of destroying Mamoru's Porsche or Kyo's Lotus. There was also the Toyota 86, the car Nobu had used to drive Makoto to Izu. She looked up at Mamoru dejectedly. "I don't know their names."

"That's okay, you'll learn. You just have to pick one you like."

Her eyes swept the rows again. "What was that car Kyo asked if I drove when I first came here…" It was hard to recall that conversation since she'd been so overwhelmed, much like now.

Mamoru instantly made his way over to a compact roadster. "This is a 2008 Honda S2000 Type S. There were less than two-thousand of them made between 2008 and 2009. It's a good car to learn on." Usagi nodded decisively. Mamoru opened a cabinet full of keys, unlocked the car and thankfully did not ask her to get behind the wheel just yet. He fiddled with the seat adjustments for a second, muttering about the short employee who'd last driven it.

Mamoru drove to the track on the hill while Usagi watched him intently, determined to soak up as much technique as possible so she didn't come off as a completely clueless idiot. He kept his left hand on the gearshift and his right on the wheel at the twelve o'clock position, using his palm to turn. She couldn't really see his feet but knew both of them were required since she heard multiple pedals being pressed. Once on the practice track Mamoru put the car in neutral, set the parking brake and turned it off. "Come sit on my lap."

Usagi blinked at him. "What?"

"Sit," he smiled, patting his thighs, "on me." Mamoru withheld a snort at the way her cheeks colored. "I'm not trying to get fresh with you, I promise. This method will give you first-hand experience without you doing anything just yet." She came around and gingerly sat on his right leg, squeaking a little when he situated her feet and hands atop his own. "I just want you to move with me, okay? Let me puppet you."

It didn't take too long for Usagi to become familiarized with the driver controls, lacing her fingers between Mamoru's on the wheel and shifter to get a feel for changing gears. His ankles flexed on the pedals and through him she felt the point when the clutch engaged. "They say the hardest part about driving a manual is switching between first and second because they're such short gears," Mamoru said. "Once you master them you're good to go. I'll do one lap and then I want you to take my place."

Usagi gulped, knowing Mamoru _had_ to be able to feel her trembling. Around the track he went, accelerating and downshifting so smoothly there was no way she'd be able to mimic him. But if she passed this test she could officially say she knew how to drive, and that point of pride would further open the door to Mamoru's world. She'd kind of have something in common with him… Maybe someday he'd be sitting in the passenger seat as _she_ raced around the track. _'Yeah right,'_ she thought as he returned to the starting line. _'There's no way I could ever do what he does.'_

"Take your time, make yourself comfortable," Mamoru instructed while he went around to the other side. Usagi had to scoot the seat forward since she was significantly smaller than him, and then she had to adjust the mirrors and tilt the wheel. When that was done she took a few very deep breaths and moved her shaking hands into position.

"Okay, the car's already in neutral," Usagi said out loud, "so I can press the clutch." Mamoru didn't say anything because narrating one's actions was a common technique among newbies. "Now I shift into first gear…" Here she held her breath. "…and let off the clutch." There was a point where it grabbed and that was when she was supposed to apply throttle; she felt it easily now that her own foot was on the pedals. Not too much gas, Mamoru said, or they'd lurch. Usagi rolled her toe onto the accelerator while releasing the clutch just as slowly, and much to her surprise the car began moving forward.

"You're doing great, Usako," Mamoru praised. His beaming smile was a total contrast to her stony expression. She got up to 25 kph before shifting into second, remembering the instruction to let off the gas. She braked and downshifted at Mamoru's request, cruising around the track without exceeding 32 kph. He asked her to stop at the starting line. "You've really gotten the hang of it, so let's try reverse. It's not like in the movies where you can go super-fast since there's only one gear." Usagi nodded, eyeing the shifter to move it down to the lower right before placing her hand behind Mamoru's headrest. "I want you to go all the way around the track in reverse. Remember your steering is inverted."

"Right," she muttered, sparing him the bare minimum of her concentration. Thankfully the roadster offered good visibility and Usagi completed her task without a problem, releasing a whoosh of air at the finish line. Her body still shook but now it was more from excitement than anxiety. This wasn't so hard at all! "Can I try going faster?" she asked shyly, batting her lashes.

Mamoru simply nodded. He relaxed in the leather seat while keeping an eye on Usagi in his periphery. She got through first and second very smoothly and then bit her lower lip as she continued accelerating around the first turn. The track was small, only 2,010 kilometers, and perfectly level. It was ideal for an S2000 being driven by a beginner, though Mamoru almost regretted calling her that as she went very quickly into the hairpin turns and he felt the rear end start to kick out, but she braked slightly and reduced a potential tailspin to nothing more than a screech of tires on dry asphalt. He almost told her to slow down but didn't, morbid curiosity wondering how far she'd push herself. Testing one's own limits was the best way to learn.

Halfway through her third lap it began to rain. "We'd better head back to the garage," Mamoru said as large, fat drops landed on the windshield. "I think this might be the beginning of the storm I heard about on the news." Usagi heeded his suggestion and coasted down the hill, fitting the roadster into its designated parking spot. A mechanic catcalled from one of the maintenance bays when she stepped out.

"You look hot in that Honda, girly! You should think about buying it from us!" Mamoru scowled at him. "And hey, you'd better head home before they block off the roads!" He pulled the bay door down and locked it, diverting the miniature river flowing along the building.

Usagi worriedly glanced at Mamoru. "They block the roads around here?"

"Only when it rains really hard," he explained. "Since this neighborhood is hilly it causes a lot of wash-out, so it's not safe to drive unless you have a truck. They shut down the buses and most of the train stations due to flooding, too."

"Um… _do_ you have a truck?"

Mamoru sighed dejectedly. "We do, but it blew a head gasket the other day. Hideo was working on it just now." He glanced skyward. "It looks like you'll be stuck here for a while. You should let your family know." While Usagi phoned her parents Mamoru received a call from Tatsuo, who was in the house overlooking the complex. "Kyo? No, I haven't seen him all day. I assumed he went to the gym."

Usagi spun toward him. "Kyo's on a date with Minak–oh…" Her exuberance dimmed upon catching the boy's bewildered expression. "Whoops, I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

Mamoru's nostrils flared. "Usagi just informed me he's out on a date," he relayed to Tatsuo. "I'm sure he'll be back tonight." A pause. "Thanks, I'll try. Bye." His teeth were gritted when he hung up. "That hypocritical bastard… I can't believe he's with Minako after all the shit he gave me! 'Just looking' my ass!" His anger deflated as quickly as it arose. "Come on, we can wait out the storm in my room. We'll go through the shop so we don't get totally drenched." Usagi followed him dutifully, taking hold of his hand once he opened the locker room door. Since the lounge and showroom weren't connected to the shop they had to run across the open space, which had become a miniature lake. "This is going to suck. Let's go!"

Usagi shrieked as water flooded her sneakers and soaked her jeans. They were both dripping wet by the end of their mad dash to the lounge. "Ooh, it's cold!" she shivered. She hadn't been wearing any layers in the first place, and now she was stranded in Hachioji, but at least she'd landed a job!


	8. Start

**Chapter Eight: Start**

Mamoru wrapped his fingers around the doorknob and paused, looking over his shoulder at Usagi. "I apologize for the mess in advance. It's laundry day but I didn't get around to it after you texted me last night." Her expression clearly said "it can't be that bad", but as soon as Mamoru pushed the door open he cringed upon hearing her gasp of disbelief.

"This is terrible," Usagi gravely remarked. It appeared as though his entire wardrobe had been emptied into the apartment. She couldn't help but wonder if Mamoru had really gone to such lengths in choosing an outfit for their meeting today which, although he did look very nice, turned out to be a wasted effort since he was now thoroughly drenched.

Mamoru faced her sheepishly. "I promise it's not usually this bad! I'll have everything put away by the time you get out of the shower." Usagi raised an eyebrow. "I mean, I just assumed… You might catch a cold otherwise." He hid a blush by rifling through piles of clothes, pausing to sniff certain garments. "Here's a clean towel, and some sweatpants that don't fit me, and… oh, this shirt's fine." Usagi giggled as she accepted the bundle. "The shower's through there. Just leave your stuff on the floor and I'll add it to the washer."

"Alrighty," she said, pushing past the curtain. The bathroom redeemed Mamoru as it was impeccably clean and well-organized. It took Usagi a minute to figure out the shower controls, then she gave the drape a nervous glance, thinking the fabric looked slightly transparent. _'Would I even mind if he saw me naked?'_ The thought made her flush from head to toe. She stripped off her damp clothes and stepped into the cascade of hot water, closing the glass door. Not a minute later Mamoru's hand appeared beneath the curtain to retrieve her garments, the sight making her stifle a laugh; it reminded her of a cat stealthily reaching for something. She took the liberty of using the tiniest amount of his conditioner so her hair wouldn't dry frizzy, then she toweled off and got dressed in the borrowed clothes. "I'm done!" she announced, reentering the living area.

Mamoru spread his arms. "How does it look now?"

"Much better," she answered. The space was laid out like most small Japanese apartments, except Mamoru had a large four-post bed instead of a simple futon pushed up against the back wall. Opposite her was the kitchenette, the laundry alcove, and a coat closet. The rest of the room was occupied by a beanbag chair, a low table with mismatched cushions, and a TV on a stand. Mamoru had added more storage space by affixing shelves near the ceiling. Usagi stood on her tiptoes to examine the contents on the one above the bed, discovering ribbons, trophies, and faded photographs. "Are these of you as a kid?"

"Yeah, that's all from my kart racing days." He came over to take down a particular picture. "Here's Zen and I at age ten."

"Aww, you guys were so cute!" Zen scowled at the camera while Mamoru beamed, showing off a missing tooth. "You're still pretty cute, you know," Usagi stated, smirking a little as the boy mussed his hair and tried not to break into an idiot grin.

"I'm going to hop in the shower too, so feel free to watch TV." Mamoru gave her the remote and watched Usagi situate herself cross-legged on the floor, staring just a moment too long. _'There's a_ _girl_ _in my apartment,'_ it dawned on him. _'There's a girl I_ _really_ _like_ _in my apartment.'_ He retreated to the bathroom and quickly undressed, dowsing himself with tepid water in an attempt to clear his thoughts. _'Oh god, what have I done? We're stuck waiting out the storm together! And if she's flirting with me that means she likes me, right? So I should let her know that I like her too.'_ Mamoru turned up the heat to wash away the sweat that had broken out over his whole body. _'But what if she expects something romantic to happen?'_ The notion was polarizing, both chilling and thrilling. Mamoru knew it wasn't fair to assume Usagi had the same unpleasant interests as his ex, but the fear was ingrained upon him.

The sound of spritely laughter filling the apartment helped put him at ease while he redressed. Mamoru sank into the beanbag and soon discovered that watching TV with Usagi was an interactive experience. She acted as if she were on the game show herself and made dramatic exclamations every time she got a question wrong. Once it ended she surrendered the remote for Mamoru to tune into the weather station. "Looks like it'll be stormy all week," he said. "Will you be okay getting to work?"

"Sure, I have rain boots and an umbrella." Usagi bit her lip. "I'm more concerned about getting home in the dark."

Mamoru waved it off. "The truck will be fixed tomorrow. It's no chariot but it'll keep you warm and safe from Mother Nature." Her relieved smile made him smile in turn, then she bashfully looked away.

"Thanks for helping me get the job, Mamo-chan. I'm sure my parents will be really surprised that I found one so soon. But they're right about me needing to earn my own money– I can't rely on allowance forever! Not when _Minako_ keeps showing me pretty designer things I wanna buy." He laughed at the way she blamed the blonde for a lack of restraint when it came to shopping. Usagi faced him fully. "If Zen is basically your brother, how come you don't live with him and his dad any more?"

The query briefly stunned Mamoru. "I, uh… well, there are a couple reasons." Usagi appeared more than prepared to hear them. "I moved in last year to be closer to Kyo. We wanted to be absolutely ready for the NGT junior championship so we trained hard, loading up the cars and heading to Nishioka Speedway every single day after school let out. It just became more convenient for me to be here than Koto." His countenance dimmed slightly. "I also wanted to get out from under Koji's thumb. He just… he pushed too hard sometimes. It's disheartening to hear that you should have done better after you tried your best. First place is never guaranteed no matter how much you practiced or how skilled you are."

"But you go into each race with the intent to win, right?"

He shrugged. "Of course, but so does every other driver. They all want that gold cup, too."

"Is _anything_ in life guaranteed?" Usagi mused.

"Death and taxes or so they say," Mamoru chuckled. He went to the kitchen to see about the snack situation, tossing Usagi a box of her favorite strawberry pocky and a can of sparkling apple juice. "Want to play something?" he offered. She noticed an Uno pack sticking out from beneath the beanbag chair. Mamoru looked from it to her bright expression a few times, debating whether or not on telling her that physical altercations arose every time he played Uno. But since it was only her, not Kyo or any of the mechanics, he'd probably come out unscathed.

Usagi watched him shuffle the cards in fascination since she'd never seen such a method before. "Mamo-chan, are you… ambidextrous?"

"I am, thank you for noticing. You?" She only held up her left hand. "Being a lefty is pretty uncommon, too." With that he dealt their cards, the tension on either side of the table growing palpable. He quickly discovered that Usagi was absolutely remorseless, throwing face cards at whim so that he ended up with twenty in his hand by the end of the first round. One look at the smug little grin on her face and Mamoru decided he'd never go easy on her again regardless of what they played. Games were to Usagi as races were to him; she went into all of them, no matter how trivial, with the intention of winning.

"I'll make you a deal, Mamo-chan…" Usagi peered over her fanned cards at him, still smirking after her fourth consecutive victory. "If you win this round we can play a different game of your choice, anything you want. And whoever loses _that_ game has to play fifty-two card pick-up _and_ buy snacks for the winner tomorrow."

"What if I lose this round?" he returned, trying and failing to look upset.

"Then _I'll_ pick a different game and the same outcome still applies. I'm really good at Spoons, just so you know." Following that she served him a draw-two. He would have been miffed had he not received two face cards, and held on to them until Usagi got down to one card. First he attacked with a draw-four, making her grumble and complain, then he played a skip and his final card which elicited an indignant gasp.

"The next game will _not_ be Spoons," Mamoru triumphantly declared while stowing the Uno cards. He transferred their laundry from the washer to the dryer before fetching a traditional deck. "I choose Rummy. Do you know how to play?"

"Seven cards in a hand with a run and a book?" Usagi smiled innocently and cracked her knuckles. Once again the boy's magician-esque shuffle intrigued her, but then she got down to Serious Business, focusing on a straight of hearts first. One number kept eluding her so after a few turns she assumed Mamoru had it and switched to spades, except then she drew it and gritted her teeth in annoyance. Her opponent didn't comment, maintaining his poker face since he only needed one card to finish his hand. And when Usagi discarded it, he simply laid everything down before her. "Nooo…" she softly wailed, burying her face in her arms. "I thought for sure you wouldn't beat me."

"A deal's a deal, Usako." Mamoru gathered the deck before throwing it into the air, laughing as cards fluttered all over the place. "You have to bring me food tomorrow. There's a little restaurant down the hill that sells the best pork buns. I can eat three."

Usagi griped but began hunting down the cards as Mamoru withdrew their clothes from the dryer and sorted them. He faltered upon discovering a white bra with a little rose in the center, immediately wondering if it matched her underwear. And then he felt guilty for thinking such a thing, and even guiltier for picturing Usagi in just her undergarments instead of the unfitted clothes she currently wore. He glanced over his shoulder as she stood on tiptoe to pluck an ace off the shelf above his bed, feelings both foreign and familiar stirring within him. Attraction wasn't even at the forefront, somewhere behind the comfort he received at seeing Usagi in his apartment, like she belonged here with him. Like they should spend every stormy day inside together, passing time with silly games.

"Mamo-chan!" Usagi called, snapping the boy out of his reverie, "There's a card behind your bed that I just… can't… reach!" She was squashed beneath the windowsill with her arm shoved between the wall and the bed.

"How'd it get back there?" he asked, tugging on the footboard to make a gap. Usagi almost fell into it.

"Well, it was on the edge of your comforter…" Her face disappeared as she dove into the space. "Then it fell down when I climbed up. Your bed is way too tall!" Mamoru heard most of the explanation since he became a bit preoccupied by her heart-shaped posterior. Usagi's grunts and groans finally prompted him to pull her back up where she instantly noticed his flushed cheeks. "You were staring at my butt, weren't you?"

"I would never do such a thing," he solemnly replied. She only narrowed her eyes as a playful smile tugged at her lips. With all the cards put away she grabbed her warm clothes and flounced into the bathroom.

"So you have some umbrellas we can use this time, right?" Mamoru blinked at the curtain. "Or maybe just one I could borrow? You don't have to go with me to the train station."

His brain finally caught up. "Ah… of course I do. I said I'd pay your fare, and I know the best walking route to take. Just give me a second to change."

Usagi lingered in the bathroom until after she heard a jeans zipper, then she made to leave. Mamoru's upper body remained unclothed, enabling her to see myriad scars crisscrossing his back. She gasped and covered her mouth with one hand as he rotated in surprise, a shameful look claiming his countenance while he pulled his shirt down. "What happened, Mamo-chan? Did you get those from a crash or something?"

"I wish," he replied with a self-deprecating laugh. He didn't elaborate so Usagi trailed him down to the lounge in silence where he grabbed two umbrellas. They exited to the southwest, navigating a perilous maze of muddy wash-out, flooded ditches, and veritable rivers at every cross street. Mamoru always stopped to help her over them, no trace of anger in his strong grip. He finally spoke when they began following signs to a train station in the next neighborhood. "I wish I could say I got those scars from an epic crash, but I didn't. They're from my ex-girlfriend." Usagi's brow furrowed in concern while he stayed stoic. "Her name is Kimi. We both went to Kougei but she's a year older than me so she already graduated. I met her at orientation and we started dating a few days after. We broke up last year on my birthday."

"That sounds… rough," Usagi muttered. What the heck else was she supposed to say?

"Yeah, it _was_ rough, but I only understood why after talking to a therapist. When I was actually with Kimi I didn't think there was anything wrong with her behavior." Mamoru exuded a sigh. "The scars are from being whipped… it was her fetish." Usagi's eyes widened at that. "I wasn't comfortable with it at all but I let Kimi do it since she was older than me and I thought I owed her because she was a popular, pretty girl who had chosen me to be her boyfriend. And she validated me… I needed that more than anything since Koji kept saying my best wasn't good enough and Zen didn't care at all. Kimi realized I'd let her do anything if she acted like my biggest fan. And she was right, and I still feel pathetic even though my therapist said she's a sociopath who manipulated me."

Usagi reached up with the intention of giving his shoulder a gentle pat, but she gripped his jacket sleeve instead. The image of some crazy girl whipping innocent sixteen year-old Mamoru with enough force to draw blood and telling him she needed to do so because she found it sexually satisfying infuriated her, to say the least. "I'm sorry you were in a relationship like that, Mamo-chan. It makes me so mad to think that Kimi is out there living her life believing she did nothing wrong. She left you with marks that will always remind you of how… _selfish_ she was." Mamoru couldn't help but smile at the righteous indignation in her tone. "Thanks for sharing that, by the way," she quietly went on. "If you told me you didn't want to talk about your scars I wouldn't have asked again."

"Well that's what friends do, isn't it?" he asked, viewing her sidelong. "They talk about the ugly stuff. They're supposed to know everything about each other." Usagi hummed thoughtfully, then Mamoru steeled himself by squaring his shoulders and taking a deep breath. "There's another reason I told you about Kimi." They stopped simultaneously so she could face him, head tilted, and he fell back on the nervous habit of mussing his hair. "I really like you, but I totally understand if you don't feel the same. After all, I'm the guy who almost ran you over with his car. I just figured that if, um, on the off-chance you like me too, uhh… I'd want to take things slow in a relationship, if that's something you've ever even considered…"

Usagi said nothing, searching his expression as he grew more and more embarrassed by the second. Eventually her lips parted. "I haven't told anyone this, not even my friends– I've had a crush on you since meeting you at the hospital, before I even knew your name. Isn't that silly?" Her eyes fell to his chest. "I'd love to go out with you. I never brought it up because I assumed you wouldn't have time for me, not with your racing career."

Mamoru nodded at her valid point. "It's true that once the season begins in March I'll be going nonstop until July, but until then I'll give you all the time in the world." He inched closer, found her cold hand and laced their fingers. "You're an amazing girl, Usagi. I feel like my entire life lit up when I met you. I know we can shine even brighter together."

"…That's the most romantic thing anyone has ever said to me, Mamo-chan." She looked up at him, face flushing beneath his reverent gaze. It was so obvious he adored her, thought the world of her, and if she hadn't already fallen in love with him at first sight four months ago this definitely would have been the Cupid moment. It occurred to Usagi that they were standing in the middle of the road making heart eyes at each other when she had a train to catch. "Let's go, Mamo-chan! My parents will be so mad if I'm late for dinner!"

They ran the rest of the way to the station, breathless from laughing so hard and a bit more rain-soaked than they wanted to be. Mamoru bought Usagi's ticket and they waited on the platform together, hands still clasped. The train arrived and Usagi bit her lip, positive it was too soon to kiss him since he wanted their relationship to proceed slowly. Mamoru gave her hand a kiss instead and stepped back so she could board. "See you tomorrow, Usako," he said, a sly little grin twisting his lips. "Don't forget the pork buns."

"How rude!" Usagi shouted across the way, "I'm your girlfriend now, not your errand girl!"

"Right, that means I have to make it up to you! How does dinner next Saturday sound?"

"Perfect!" she grinned, waving as the doors closed and the train pulled away. She could hardly sit still thanks to the butterflies that had broken out of her stomach and danced throughout her whole body. Once home she kicked off her shoes, hung up her jacket, and left Mamoru's umbrella by the door before practically floating into the kitchen.

"You're radiant, and you were gone all day," Ikuko remarked. "Did you find a job?"

"Yes, and also something even better!" Usagi waited until her mother, father and brother all stared at her expectantly. "I have a boyfriend!" she announced, "I'm dating Chiba Mamoru!"

Ikuko and Kenji were about to question her when Shingo let out a whoop and hugged his sister, something he had never done before. They shared the same look of confusion as their children jumped around cheering together.

* * *

 **Meet me in Harajuku** was the text message Kyo awoke to on Sunday morning at the beginning of October. He stared at his phone blankly until remembering he had a date with Minako, then he began firing on all cylinders. He showered, shaved, brushed his teeth, got dressed and was out the door in twenty minutes. He took note of the overcast sky and asked Souta if he could borrow his Impreza hatchback since it was more inclement-weather-friendly than the Lotus. Once in Harajuku he found a parking garage and stopped at an ATM to fill his wallet with cash before finally asking Minako where she was. **Laforet** she answered.

That was a few blocks from his current location. Kyo groaned but made the trek anyway since he was dying to see her. One of the downsides to dating a girl four years younger than him (soon to be three when her birthday rolled around) was that she still had to deal with school. He didn't consider that a negative thing since education was important, but her studies made it rather difficult to coordinate time together. It seemed like weekends would offer their only chances for intimacy, and after what had transpired following the Urban Action finale he wanted nothing more than to be alone with her for an extended period of time.

"Kyosuke!" Minako called, running toward him from farther down the sidewalk. He lifted a hand in greeting while ignoring the curious glances he received. There were many interesting people hanging out in Harajuku, lots of loli girls and goth guys. Kyo felt very out of place among them in his simple hoodie and jeans until he saw that Mina had dressed casually in a sweater, miniskirt, colored leggings and ankle boots, and the long braid draped over her shoulder was secured with a red bow. She didn't regard him as admiringly, judging his outfit with evident disdain. "Oh honey, I can't be seen in public with you looking like _this_."

Kyo glanced down at himself. "These are the only kinds of clothes I own." She actually winced at that statement.

"I was planning on hanging out at the arcade but now I desperately need to give you a makeover. Come on." She grabbed his hand and led him into the shopping complex. Kyo remained mostly silent as she breezed through a men's shop pulling garments seemingly at random off racks and shelves, assembling some outfits in the changing room. He probably thought she was crazy but really there was a method to the madness; most guys tended to throw on any old thing without considering their figure. Kyo had a mesomorphic body type and long limbs, so he needed clothes with longer proportions that weren't form-fitting. Higher-end stores tended to carry American and European brands that accommodated such builds.

Minako bought the first round of outfits but couldn't cover the more expensive footwear and coats he would need, though she had enough money left over for some accessories. After zipping up a pieced hoodie Kyo noticed her staring at him. "What, is something on me?" He turned all around but didn't see anything in the dressing area mirrors.

She gently took hold of his jaw, turning his head from side to side. "You have pierced ears," she said in awe, "I didn't even notice." Two on the left and three on the right, all filled with simple stainless steel studs save the empty cartilage piercing. "You would look sexy with a chain."

"You think so?" Kyo couldn't help but grin at the realization that Mina was definitely into him as much as he'd been into her since the moment she approached him at the Hikawa Shrine.

She nodded and searched his eyes for a moment, then gave him a light kiss. "I know so. I'll get you one on our way out." Kyo simply smiled. This whole having-a-girlfriend thing wasn't nearly as bad as his high school buddies had claimed. Maybe most guys complained when girls wanted to give them makeovers but Kyo was perfectly content to let Minako fawn over him. He didn't even mind that she was changing his aesthetic to suit herself.

Eventually, after the couple was literally too laden with shopping bags to carry any more, they headed down to street level where Minako gasped at the torrential downpour. "I didn't think it was going to rain!" she cried. "This sweater is cashmere– I don't want it getting soaked!"

"Stay here," Kyo said, "I'll go get the car."

"You'd better put on your new hat." She dug through one of the bags and placed it on his head, receiving a grin before he jogged off. The boy cleaned up nicely; it'd be fun to show him off to her followers. With his silver hair and gray eyes they might think she had seduced a high-fashion male model, not a future GT champion, although her selfies in the NSX might tip them off.

When Kyo returned in a Subaru he hurriedly helped fill the trunk, then they both laughed a little as they had to pull sopping bangs off their faces. "Where to?" he inquired.

"My place," Minako answered. "Hopefully the rain will let up and we can get ice cream at this little parlor near my house. I promise you've never had anything like it."

"That good, huh? I can't wait." He navigated through Shibuya and onto the same maze of back roads he'd taken last time, parking in front of the Aino's cheery yellow home. The silver sedan wasn't there which meant her parents were out, a fact that both annoyed and excited Minako. It bothered her because she wanted to introduce Kyo to them. Apparently it had to wait until another day or, preferably, when they returned from whatever new couple's activity Misaki had signed them up for. On the plus side, her parents being gone meant she and Kyo had the place all to themselves.

They ran into the house, ditched their shoes, and went upstairs to her room without any prelude whatsoever. "Whew, safe," Minako sighed as she emptied her bags to sort her purchases. "I hate the rain."

"I kinda like it," Kyo said, surveying her abode that felt like a miniature photo studio. "It's a free car wash."

She shook her head. "You're such a geek."

"A geek who managed to get to first base with you," he countered.

"I think that only happened because the booze banished your inhibitions."

"Heh, no…" Kyo scoffed, setting his hands on her hips from behind. "What happened in the car was all me. But in case you want to test me, I'm totally sober now." She rotated to face him, smiling as he embraced her fully. "Let's get you out of those wet clothes. You don't want to catch a fever, right?"

"I could ask the same of you," Minako coyly returned. This time Kyo initiated the kiss, a hard one that stole her breath away. Clearly the time for witty repartee was over. Her nimble fingers slipped beneath the hem of his hoodie to push it up and off him, then he immediately cupped both sides of her face, ravaging her lips. "Slow down, Kyosuke," she managed to speak. "You kiss me like you'll never have another chance."

"Well, you know…" He pulled back only slightly. "Tomorrow is never a guarantee. Live fast, die young, and leave a beautiful corpse."

"That's morbid," Minako chided. "There are so many things you'll never experience if you die young, like me." She crossed her arms behind his neck and stood on her tiptoes to press soft kisses along his jawline as his hands dropped down to her rear. Kyo seemed satisfied with the pace she set, gently entwining his tongue with hers and nibbling on her lips instead of biting them. He relaxed enough that she began inadvertently pushing him backwards, unaware that he retained plenty of spatial awareness until he lifted her by her seat, spun her around, and shoved her against the bedroom door, eliciting a yelp. "Don't _do_ that," Mina said, genuinely chastising him. "There's a time and a place for man-handling. My room isn't it– too many fragile things."

"Mm, sorry," Kyo replied, putting her down and nuzzling the top of her head to cement his apology. He watched her with the intensity of a hawk as she sidestepped him, unzipping her skirt and removing her leggings before telling him to sit on the bed, and he held his breath as Mina straddled his lap. So much vied for his attention: her legs that were ridiculously soft to the touch, her firm, toned ass still obscured by silky panties, the way she kissed him that completely differed from before, the raw _need_ unfurling in his gut and spreading to every extremity. He wanted more, wanted _her_ , all of her right now, but he also wanted Mina to stay in control because if he took over things would end in mutual disappointment. To distract himself he directed his oral ministrations to her neck only to be blockaded by the cashmere sweater. He swiftly pushed it over her head, discovering a lacy bralette. He didn't know the garment was called that but it didn't really matter since he was more entranced by the way her breasts looked in it.

Minako followed suit by removing his t-shirt, making sure to appreciate the very attractive physique beneath. It was like a hands-on exhibit for both of them, fingers sliding and groping and occasionally clawing at treasures previously hidden beneath layers of clothing. Kyo nipped and sucked on her neck, eliciting breathy moans, and she drew similar noises out of him when she moved her lips to his ears, exploring the sensitive gaps between his studs. His groans grew more desperate as she pressed down on his erection. "Mina, that hurts…" Without a word she stood up to liberate him from his denim prison, and he fell back onto the comforter with a sigh of relief. His chest heaved, he tingled from head to toe, and even though it wasn't that late in the day Kyo thought he could see stars. He managed to gather his bearings enough to watch Mina take off her bralette, sitting upright and feeling his heartbeat increase drastically at the sight of her bare breasts. She returned astride him, basking in the sensation of his strong hands committing every curve to memory.

Kyo dotted kisses along her collarbone before descending to her chest. He didn't have any other breasts to compare hers to so he thought they were perfect. Perfectly soft, perfectly shaped, perfectly fitted in the palm of his hand while the other splayed across her back, holding her steady. Mina arched in his grip, pushed against the warm tongue sending shivers down her spine every time it flicked over her sensitive flesh. She hadn't expected Kyo to be so skilled with his mouth but he proved a natural talent, making her quiver and keen and grind against his erection as satisfied sounds emanated from deep in his throat. She felt the vibrations in his chest and let them flow through her, gather in the aching spot that light pressure did nothing to assuage. There were two layers of fabric between them and that was two layers too many.

Minako abruptly rose to her feet, bringing Kyo with her, and managed to prevent herself from tearing off his underwear. "Oh…" she breathed, cheeks flushed as she examined him, "You'll do _very_ nicely, Kyosuke."

He grinned. "Thanks for making me feel like the king of the world, Mina." With that he went to his knees, finding his lips level with her navel, and he trailed kisses until arriving at her panties, which he gently removed. The temptation of delving between her thighs was very strong but he reasoned there would be plenty of opportunities to explore in the future, so he planted his chin on her pelvis and looked up. "Do we need protection?" he inquired.

Minako glanced down in surprise. "Oh god, I didn't even consider it. I'm on the pill but, I mean… two stones are better at taking out one bird." Kyo deduced the bird was a potential pregnancy and the two stones were different contraceptives. Fortunately he snagged a few condoms from Mamoru's stash the last time he'd been in his room; not like he'd used any in the last year. Kyo retrieved one from his jeans pocket while Minako regarded the weather and shuddered. "It looks really nasty out there," she remarked.

"Yeah, I'm glad we're inside together." Kyo rolled the condom on and sat at the end of the bed where the window overlooked. He could hardly see through the gray veil cloaking Azabu. A distant rumble of thunder made his hair stand on end, and he flinched when Minako's fingertips landed on his shoulder.

"Are you scared?" she asked, half teasing. "I promise I'll be gentle."

Kyo shook his head. "You can fuck me as hard as you want." She was dubious of his bravado. "Maybe not since this is my first time… But, you know, if we decide to do this again."

" _If_ …" Minako stressed, pushing him onto his back. "Maybe next time we'll do something completely different. If you finish right away maybe there won't be a next time."

His expression utterly fell. "Don't say that. I want to be _with_ you, Mina, not just have sex with you. I want to learn how to please you in every sense of the word."

"Ah…" She felt guilty for not having realized that Kyo was totally enamored with her. It sounded like he hoped to be in it for the long haul; if true that meant he could be conditioned to keep up with her in the physical intimacy department. Minako had crazy stamina thanks to her athletic endeavors, and most of her previous partners had only been focused on satisfying themselves. Kyo certainly had the right equipment to make an excellent lover but it would take a bit more time for her to see if he made a good boyfriend as well. "I'm sorry I doubted you. If you really want to please me, start by lying back and relaxing."

Kyo obeyed, taking a few deep breaths and sinking into the plush comforter. His carotid artery pulsed wildly as Mina crawled atop him to kiss the hollow of his throat, then she ghosted over his collar bones before descending to his chest. She could tell he worked out on a regular basis due to the shape of his muscles: square pectorals, a symmetrical set of eight abdominals, and hips that formed a definitive V-shape, a feature she really had a _thing_ for. She kissed all of them, dragged her tongue along each channel and valley defining his body, earning increasingly-desperate groans for her efforts. Kyo lifted his head to find her staring at him, all hooded eyes and parted lips, angled like she was ready to pounce. She seemed primal at that moment, an ancient goddess about to descend upon an unwitting mortal. Beautiful.

Mina finally returned to his lips, giving him shallow kisses as she teased the head of his swollen cock. Kyo sucked in a breath when he sank into her. "Fucking hell, Mina. You're tighter than an over-torqued bolt."

The analogy made her giggle but since painful intercourse wasn't on the agenda she pulled Kyo upright; there was less of him inside her that way. "I'm sorry hon, blame the Kegels. I'll go slow…" She moved back along his shaft, his breath hitching. "…and steady. I don't want to hurt you." Minako distracted him with kisses, feeling him moan into her mouth as she teased his frenulum. She moved with absolute precision and eventually Kyo's hands stopped clinging to her shoulder blades, sliding down to her waist instead. His forehead dropped into the curve of her neck, breath cooling her sweaty skin while her fingers tangled in his shaggy hair.

"Mina…" Kyo panted, "You feel… so fucking good."

"So do you," she returned with a smile. Since most of the tension had left him she paused to push his upper body back so she could get a good grip on his shoulders before changing the angle of her hips and beginning a new rhythm. Kyo responded with an instant counter-rhythm, planting one hand on Mina's back and holding himself steady with the other. The most divine sounds he had ever heard greeted his ears, becoming more frequent as their pace quickened. His fingers clung to the divots in her lower back, pulling her forward as he plunged deeper inside her. A minute later Kyo had to support himself with both hands and summon the strength not to crumple in Mina's grip, her nails biting his skin while she rode his full length, caressing herself in all the right places.

Kyo attempted to brace himself when Mina's moans began to crescendo and her muscles contracted around him, but it was futile and a surge of pure pleasure tore through his whole body, lights blossoming behind his eyelids. He immediately fell back and Mina went with him, dead weight on his chest while her thighs trembled from all their hard work. They didn't move for a while, savoring the afterglow, heavy breath returning to normal and allowing them to hear the din of the rain outside. "Are you okay?" Minako asked. She was so quiet it took Kyo a moment to realize she'd even spoken.

"Better than okay," he replied, "I feel like I've… _ascended_ or something." Mina laughed, pushed herself up with a groan, and carefully withdrew. Her legs still quaked as she gathered their clothes into two neat stacks. Kyo watched her move, thinking he had to be the luckiest guy in the world. "What now?" he wondered, voice slightly raspy.

"Now we take a shower and get dressed before my parents come home." She tossed a certain look over her shoulder. "You're welcome to join me."

Kyo righted himself, discarding the condom before tracing her steps to the bathroom across the hall. Once they were in the shower he marveled at his own virility when he felt himself getting hard again, but with one look at the gorgeous girl in his arms he knew this was simply how it would be from now on.


	9. Turn

**Chapter Nine: Turn**

With an Urban Action Grand Prix victory under his belt and the Red Sun Rally still two months away, Zen was becoming restless. He still went to school, still sat through classes and did all of his homework, but he'd always been light years ahead of his peers. Everything came to him so easily that he derived more enjoyment from twirling a pencil between his fingers and staring blankly out the window than focusing on his lessons. He didn't have to stress over the career survey due before winter break because he'd known his path long before. He would graduate from Kougei Academy in March, he'd pass Todai's entrance exam without a problem, he'd earn dual degrees in business management and finance, and then his father would retire, leaving West End Transport in Zen's capable hands. He'd become one of the youngest billionaires in the world.

Which was why it didn't make sense that his father harassed him about joining Noctis for the longest time. That was Mamoru's role. Koji needed one son to take over the business he built from the ground up and another to join Kyosuke in achieving fame and fortune, essentially forcing history to repeat itself. Zen just couldn't handle both, not if his father wanted him to succeed. So he taught himself how to write programs and do other things with computers because it kept him away from everyone and their illogical expectations.

But then he met Ami, someone he _didn't_ want to stay away from, someone he very much wanted to befriend. He had learned so much from her already, like better website design and CAD in addition to different types of programming. She said she wasn't a certified genius but Zen didn't believe her; she was too brilliant not to belong to Mensa or something. Every once in a while he brought it up because it made her cute face blush the prettiest shade of pink, but today he abstained since they had a ton of work to do on the second version of their modification software. Zen was still earning royalties from all the firms distributing it, but the biggest complaint from consumers was that it didn't have that one unusual car from some independent company he'd never heard of. So today, Sunday, he and Ami were forming the most comprehensive production vehicle database the world had ever seen beginning with an alphabetized list.

"Hennessey Venom GT?"

"Check."

"IKCO Arisun, Dena, Runna and Samand?"

"Got them."

"Jonway UFO?"

"Check."

"Korres P4?"

"Mhm."

"Lobini H1?"

Zen glanced up with a frown. "What's that?"

"It's a Brazilian sports car that has been produced in very limited quantities since 2005." Ami adjusted her glasses as Zen quickly Googled the unfamiliar vehicle.

"Huh. It's cute, but it looks too much like the Lotus Elise." Nevertheless he added it to his ridiculously long list before standing up to stretch, wincing as numerous joints unlocked. "Snack break?" Ami nodded and followed him downstairs to the kitchen. Zen opened the pantry to survey its contents, grabbing a bag of baked chips while she helped herself to some trail mix. Not long ago she would have considered eating the Nishino's food an intrusion of the highest order, but she had become quite comfortable in the penthouse thanks to her frequent visits. Since Koji did nothing but work, Ami and Zen often had the place all to themselves. In this manner, after spending so much time together, Zen's feelings toward her began to change. He didn't know what to call this new emotion, he just knew it was no longer strictly platonic. He still respected, admired and trusted Ami, but now there was something _more_ that filled him with the most glorious sense of rightness when they were together.

They returned to the study and resumed their task. Rain soon began sheeting down the windows, all but drowning out the words they exchanged. "Oh, that's quite a storm…" Ami said upon examining the sky full of angry dark clouds. A distant peal of thunder made the glass vibrate and she drew back, heart already pounding as the hand clutching the Surface Pro grew clammy. _'Just ignore it,'_ she told herself, _'you're perfectly safe inside.'_ She kept reading off makes and models to Zen while flinching as the thunder drew ever nearer, her resolve finally crumbling when a flash of lightning illuminated the room. Ami leaped off the couch and all but threw herself against the door to get as far from the window as possible, covering her ears as she shrank down.

Zen was at her side in a moment. "Ami, what's wrong? Are you afraid of the storm?" He received the slightest of nods, his mind racing for a way to make her feel safe. "Here, let's go to my room, it has security shutters. You have to stand up, okay? I'm right here with you." She buried her face in his chest which made it rather difficult to walk, but he managed to sit her down on the foot of his bed. Ami crawled beneath the covers while Zen used a control panel on the wall to block off the windows with bulletproof, black-out, sound-dampening plates, then he got into bed behind her and held her in his arms. As if Mother Nature were offended by his actions the rainfall became a deluge, pounding against the metallic barrier separating them from the elements. The lightning strikes were deafening, seemingly arcing off the roof directly above them and tearing the skies asunder. Ami's heart beat so loud she could barely distinguish it from the thunder.

Zen wished with all his might that it were possible to absorb her fear, but he couldn't do that so he just started talking instead, hoping she'd focus on the sound of his voice instead of the raging storm. "We've been friends for a while now, haven't we? You've met my dad a few times but I haven't told you about my mom." Another crack of lightning made the very walls shudder. Ami drew herself into a tighter ball, prompting Zen to continue. "Her name is Shino and she lives in Australia. She's a photographer. Her husband manages the gallery where her pictures are sold." He paused to pull Ami closer, inhaling the peach and plumeria scent of her shampoo since his nose was now buried in her hair. "When she left Dad told me to forget about her, but how was I supposed to do that? She's my _mother_."

"Why… why did she leave?" Ami asked in a tiny voice.

"Well, that's kind of a sad story." He rubbed her arm as he spoke. "Mamoru became my younger brother when my dad adopted him, but I briefly had a younger biological brother. I was three years older than him and he only lived for a few months after being born." Ami stopped shaking at that, turning into him slightly. "It devastated my mom. When I got older I learned that she'd had a hard time delivering me and didn't want to have any more children, but my dad insisted they try for another son. I'm not too upset that she isn't in my life any more because I understand why she couldn't bear to stay with my father."

"…That _is_ a sad story, Zen, but I think you're brave for accepting you mother's decision." Ami turned over, their faces now millimeters apart. "I wish I could justify my father leaving. I was only seven. He was gone when I came home from school one day but he'd left notes for my mother and I. Mine said he would always love me and he knew I'd grow into a remarkable young woman. To my mother he said he was sorry but the need to fulfill his dream had been eating him up inside for many years, and he couldn't stay any more lest he sink into depression and burden our lives."

Zen's green eyes were full of empathy yet also sparkled with curiosity; he remembered her saying her father was an eccentric artist living in the mountains. "So he went off to rough it in the wilderness?"

Ami sighed and pursed her lips, the storm out of mind now. "Yes. His dream was to be a traditional potter. Apparently he had studied classical art in college and occasionally brought up how simple life would be if he could go back in time and be an artist. We never expected him to actually act on such whimsy. When I was still young I determined to find him, so I stuffed a backpack full of food and water and went off to Asoyama. I got lost in the midst of a tempest." She rolled onto her back to stare at the ceiling, voice soft. "I didn't find my father, and at this point I don't think I ever want to see him again. He wanted to live in the past so that's where his family will stay– in his memories." Zen hummed lowly, absently fondling the scalloped hem of her sweater sleeve. Eventually Ami noticed and glanced down at it. "You're very tactile, you know."

He released it immediately. "Sorry, I know… I'm always mindlessly touching things. Sorry." Ami tittered as Zen scolded himself. "I don't hear any more thunder. Can I open the blinds?" Having successfully consoled her he got out from beneath the blankets.

"Of course, it's your room," she said.

Zen glanced back from the control panel. "And you're a guest in my home. I want you to be comfortable."

Ami grinned at him. "In that case I think I'll stay in bed. It's _very_ accommodating." It was large, plush, and also smelled like Zen, a clean calming scent with a hint of mint. "What are your sheets made of? I've never lain on anything so soft." Getting that emotional baggage off her chest made her feel light and liberated, and now she just wanted to talk about something without any heavy implications.

"They're fifteen-hundred thread count Turkish cotton sheets," Zen answered. He came to stand by the edge and gave Ami an amused smile. "What would our friends say if mention of you being in my bed reached them?"

Ami mulled it over, recalling what Usagi had told her at Urban Action. No one would judge her for sleeping with Zen, and Mamoru and Minako even thought they made a good match. But just because she found him ambitious, intelligent, wealthy and attractive, (she couldn't in good conscience forget to include those adjectives Minako had used), it didn't mean they had to establish a romantic relationship. This thing they had was good, safe. Ami liked being friends with someone who shared her interests, someone she could learn from as well as teach. The exchange of knowledge was very valuable to her and she didn't want anything to jeopardize that. "There wouldn't be as much drama as one might expect," she finally said in response to the question. "That is to say I don't think any of them would be surprised."

Zen's brow furrowed as he walked over to the windows. He didn't see the panorama of the city, his focus inward on all the possible interpretations of Ami's answer. He kept circling back to one conclusion: their friends anticipated them being together as a couple, or at the very least hooking up. But one-night stands weren't Zen's thing and he knew for a fact that Ami wasn't the type of person to entertain shallow relationships. They were the same in that regard; there had to be a deep, meaningful connection for romance to flourish. Zen began to wonder if his new emotions had arisen in response to such a connection, and he wondered if Ami felt anywhere near the same.

* * *

Rei spent her free period in a homeroom, alone, again. Jun had only been missing out on his tutoring sessions for the last four days, but that was four days Rei could have spent doing something productive instead of waiting for him to show up. She glanced toward the door yet again on the off chance he happened to walk in, but he didn't, so she went to her next class early and got a head start on the assignment.

Once the lunch bell rang she gathered her belongings and headed downstairs to the cafeteria in a huff; her aura must have been palpable because everyone stayed out of her way. She grabbed a sashimi assortment and claimed a vacant table, glaring at anyone who considered sitting too close. A few minutes later an annoying laugh reached her ears. Rei turned to see the president of the Paranormal Research Club practically throwing herself upon Jun, who made little to no effort in deterring her. As if sensing her judgment he locked eyes with Rei across the room, extricating himself from Sarashina's smothering embrace and going through the motions of chitchatting and buying food before approaching her. "What makes you think you can just waltz over here after blowing me off for the last four days?" Rei hissed.

Jun sipped his soda before answering. "Sorry about that. Something important came up. I won't be able to study with you for a while."

She scoffed. "It sure is considerate of you to inform me that your plans had changed _after_ the fact."

He leaned forward. "I really am sorry. I wanted to tell you right away but my dad said not to." Jun furtively glanced around. "But I trust you, Rei. You deserve to know what's happening." She raised an eyebrow at that. "Meet me in the AV room."

Rei made a point to finish her lunch before heeding his instructions. This had to be some kind of stupid game, an elaborate excuse to explain his absence. Maybe he'd spent most of the week with a paramour and didn't want her to find out, as if she even cared about his sex life. She closed the door to the AV room and leaned against it. "So what's going on?"

Jun stopped pacing, met her gaze, and ran a hand through his feathery hair; she had never seen him so uneasy. He was supposed to be calm and collected at all times. "An investigation is under way," he said.

"Of the school?"

"No, the government. There is krokodil in Tokyo."

"Krokodil?" The word was unfamiliar to her. "What's that?"

"A nasty drug invented by Russians," Jun answered disdainfully. "It's highly addictive and it causes flesh to rot, like leprosy." Rei wrinkled her nose. "My dad is leading the investigation team since he has experience with Russian drugs. Whoever is distributing it has more influence than your average gangster."

"You mean, like, Yakuza?"

Jun shrugged. "Could be. There _are_ Yakuza puppets in the government." Rei started to protest but he cut her off. "Don't pretend like you don't know. The Japanese government has been in bed with them for hundreds of years."

"…I guess you're right," she begrudgingly admitted, sighing. "Anyway, what does your father's investigation have to do with you? Don't tell me you're looking for leads at our school."

"Well, kind of." Jun averted his gaze. "I wanted to help him cover all the bases. Many students here are the children of foreign diplomats. If I befriend them they might tell me something useful."

"So that's why you let Sarashina hang off you? You were hoping she'd share all her secrets?" Rei gave him a narrow look and edged closer. "Is that the real reason you wanted me to tutor you, to get close to me and wait for me to divulge information about my father and his council? Have you just been messing with me all this time?"

He held out an imploring hand. "Rei, I promise it's nothing like that. I would never lie to you. I know you would see through it, and I don't want you to be mad at me." She crossed her arms and scowled. Too late for that. "I need a favor, okay? Will you consider it?"

"That depends on the favor," she replied.

"Make me your date for the Starlight Gala."

Rei stared at him for a full minute before her voice came out low and measured. "You only want me to take you so you can spy on all the politicians that will be there."

"Yes," Jun admitted.

"You only found out about the gala by using your silver tongue on the school's elite."

He matched her frosty gaze. "Was I not supposed to know? Is the knowledge forbidden to commoners like myself?"

"That's not what I meant, Jun." Rei released another huffy breath. "The Starlight Gala isn't your average holiday party. It's a chance for people from all areas of the government to discuss the progression of our country, an opportunity to network for those who never meet in their day-to-day operations. And it's also a masquerade ball to celebrate winter solstice." She gave him a once-over. "You'll need a tuxedo, a tailored one. I can help you with that if money is an issue."

He smiled wryly. "I'll get it, but thanks for the offer. You'll tell your dad about me?"

She waved it off. "He doesn't care who I show up with as long as it's not one of his rivals' sons. I haven't even had dates for the last two years." Rei chided herself for being unable to stay mad at Jun. Curse those gorgeous eyes of his. "I'll text you the details later tonight. Keep your phone on." He gave her a grateful nod and held the door open, following her out.

A few students loitering nearby spotted them leaving the empty AV room together and began conjecturing. The rumors they would end up spreading were not a far cry from what would actually occur in the near future.

* * *

Zen stood on the sidewalk outside of the karaoke bar within which he was supposed to be celebrating Minako's sixteenth birthday party, but Nobu and Jun had asked him to wait for them so they could go stag together. By now everyone knew that Kyo and Minako (referred to as "MinaKyo" by many of her followers) were officially dating. Mamoru and Usagi formed another couple. Their sickeningly-sweet displays of affection made Zen even more confused about his feelings for Ami since he had no desire to act that way with her. Nobu was jealous of his two sempai because he had to wait until after Christmas just to hug his girlfriend. Jun held no opinions on their relationships since he was more concerned with helping his father track down the source of the krokodil, and his inquiries among the Academy's student populace had given him a promising lead: it was being distributed by a single gang out of Toyama.

A newer BMW M2 zoomed by on the street, the sound of turbo blow-off catching Zen's attention. He watched it swing back around and ease into a parallel parking space, dispensing smartly-dressed versions of Nobu and Jun. "When did you get this?" Zen asked while circling the sky blue coupe.

"My dad bought it for me last week," Jun replied. "I couldn't keep borrowing his car since our schedules don't mesh." That wasn't really the whole truth, but no one could get hurt by what they didn't know.

Zen gave the Beamer a nod of approval. "It looks good on the outside, at least. You'll have to let me check out the engine some time." Jun grunted in acceptance as the three of them made their way into the lounge.

"You really prefer kraut over rice, huh?" Nobu remarked.

"Yes. Germans build good cars."

"Pfft, sure. What do they make that could beat my GTR? And F1 cars don't count."

Jun thought for a moment. "Audi R8."

"AMG GT3," Zen chimed in.

Nobu balked. "I said no F1 cars!"

"The AMG GTS is the current F1 safety car, not an actual racecar," he returned. "The GT3 is a new carbon fiber grand touring model." Jun gave Zen a half-smile as Nobu grumbled; the guy couldn't be faulted for knowing his stuff. They followed signs leading to the room reserved for Minako's party, knocking on the door since it was locked from the inside to prevent strangers from barging in on potentially terrible song renditions.

Minako herself greeted them with a brilliant smile. Her shine may have been enhanced by the set of diamond jewelry she wore, the glitter around her eyes, and her metallic magenta dress. "Your shoes are badass," Nobu commented while giving her a hug, and then giving her strappy thigh-high heels another look.

"Thanks!" she grinned. "They're not even designer but they totally could be!" She accepted hugs from Jun and Zen as well, plus a card from the latter. "Ooh, what's this?"

"Just something I found perfectly fitting for you," Zen suavely replied. Kyo shot him a suspicious look from his seat on the large sectional sofa behind them.

Minako gasped upon discovering a gift certificate with an exorbitant allowance to Matsuya Ginza. "Omigod Zen, thank you _sooo_ much!" She threw her arms around his neck once more, leaving glitter on his cheek. "Kyosuke, guess what we're doing next weekend?"

He managed not to roll his eyes. "Shopping, I'm sure." Mina's delighted squee confirmed it, then she returned to the stage with Usagi as Zen sat down between Kyo and Mamoru. "Thanks a lot," the former grouched.

"You're welcome. I know you love spending quality time with your girlfriend."

Kyo groaned. "Do you have any idea how long I spent looking for that jewelry set for her? Five fucking hours. I need a vacation from department stores."

Zen's brow raised. "You bought her _diamonds?_ That's quite a commitment for a two-week-old relationship."

"I count the beginning as the night of the Urban Action finale, so it's been over a month," Kyo proudly retorted.

"Oh, a month. Pardon my error." Zen tutted and leaned past him to address the other girls, noting how glitzy and glamorous they all looked. Even Ami wore a satin minidress with a cropped jacket, and her shoes were definitely designer. Badgley Mischka if he wasn't mistaken, which he rarely was.

Usagi and Minako finally decided on a song and turned to address their friends with microphones in hand. "So first off I want to thank you all for coming out tonight," the blonde said, beaming. "I really appreciate everyone being here to help me celebrate my sweet sixteen. For you newcomers—" She looked at the five boys in turn. "—singing at least one song of your own volition is _mandatory_. If you find yourself unable to choose one, I'll do it for you. Understood?" Minako's giggle did little to assuage their mounting nervousness. "Well, here we go– Usagi and I are starting off with 'Hana Ranman'!"

Mamoru and Kyo dropped their jaws at the way their girlfriends launched into the fast-paced bemani tune and didn't miss a single beat, harmonizing so effortlessly it seemed like 'Flowers' had been tailor-made for their duet. Usagi's voice was a cheerful trill winding around Minako's more powerful vibrato, and once the track ended Kyo held out his arms toward her. "I have a mighty need to hear you sing again."

"Oh, you definitely will," Mina laughed, accepting his embrace. "I love being on that stage." She surveyed the room. "So who'd like to go next?"

Rei sighed and stood up before anyone else could chime in. _'Might as well get it out of the way,'_ she thought, and paused at the console, unsure if she should perform the usual or try something new. She glanced at Usagi.

"You have to sing 'M', Rei-chan. It's your best song!" The rest of the girls agreed. Although she'd sung it during both of Minako's previous birthday karaoke parties, the blonde didn't seem to tire of Rei's soulful rendition of the Hamasaki Ayumi song. At least there were new ears in the audience this time.

As soon as that sparkly melody kicked in and the first word left Rei's mouth, Jun leaned forward to hear her as clearly as possible without physically leaving his seat. He didn't catch all the words since his focus remained more on the shape of her lips as each syllable spilled forth, her slightly-raspy alto allowing him to _feel_ the meaning in each lyric. When Rei finished she noticed the intense look Jun gave her and blushed as everyone applauded. "Do 'Dearest' next," Makoto suggested, freezing her to the spot. "C'mon Rei-chan, you're on a roll!" She started to shake her head but they erupted into a chorus of encouragement. Rei sighed and returned the mic to her lips.

It was safe to say everyone had a little crush on her by the end of that song. "Well, damn," Kyo said, "I don't think I can follow that but I'm sure going to try." Mina catcalled when he got on stage since he looked very _Uta no Prince_ -ly in slacks, a white dress shirt, a silver vest and blue tie, with his shoulder-length hair styled into a top knot. He scrolled through hit songs in the rock genre and grinned at one in particular before facing Mamoru. "Chiba, I need your help with this."

Mamoru was practically shoved off the couch by Usagi. "What are we singing?" Kyo pointed at the title; 'Ready Steady Go' by L'Arc-en-Ciel had been #1 on the Oricon chart in 2004. "Are you sure?"

"Hell yes. I know this song better than anything. You got the backup vocals?"

"Yeah," Mamoru answered, channeling some of his stage fright into his fierce grip on the microphone. Kyo hit play, his grin widening as Usagi, Makoto and Minako began fangirling like he was an actual rock star.

When they finished and sat back down, Mina grabbed Kyo's face and gave him a hard kiss, startling Ami with such a bold display. "You were _amazing_ ," she gushed. "I had no clue you could sing like that."

Kyo gave his best indifferent shrug even though he was elated. "One of my high school buddies was really into karaoke. He dragged me out every other weekend so I figured I should get good instead of embarrassing myself."

"Well you're definitely good," Mina praised, then turned to Mamoru. "You were great too Mamo-chan, but I want to hear you sing on your own." He paled at that, earning a reassuring pat from Usagi.

"Who's got next? Anyone?" Nobu asked. When nobody spoke up he hopped to his feet and examined the karaoke machine. In addition to being preloaded with thousands of songs across every genre with a foothold in Japan, there was an import function that allowed one to select tracks from other global databases maintained by the software developer. In this manner one could sing something that had been a hit in, say, Germany or South America. There was yet another function that allowed streaming from online music services as the machine actively ran songs through an algorithm that removed the vocals. Nobu chose the streaming option and located the Louis Vivet remix of 'Burn Fast' by Bryce Fox. The English lyrics drew his friends' attention like a magnet. Only about half of them understood every word, but the progressive house vibe was so different from what they'd heard up until now that they just had to admire his confidence. Nobu surprised them with his impressive range, shifting easily between low and high notes and really projecting his voice. By the bridge Usagi was clapping along with the beat and swaying from side to side, the others following suit until the very end.

Zen went next with the Oricon chart-topper 'Yobisute' by the boy band Sexy Zone. Although it was supposed to be sung in five parts he made it work as a solo, singing the cheesy lyrics with the most stoic expression he could muster. Makoto followed with her favorite song 'Fukai Mori' by Do as Infinity, astounding her friends with the fact that she sounded exactly like lead singer Tomiko Van. Minako decided to solo BeForU's 'Break Down', and Usagi continued the bemani trend with Minami Sayaka's 'Under the Sky'.

After an intermission to grab some food and drinks, Minako planted one hand on her hip and pointed a strict finger at the three who had yet to perform. "Mamoru, Ami, Jun, no more procrastinating. Get up there already!"

They exchanged looks, silently debating who should go first. The guys agreed that it would be mean to throw Ami to wolves so really it came down to them. Jun just stared at Mamoru with one of his pale eyebrows arched high, but Mamoru had no inclination of what he should sing so he refused to budge from his seat. Jun finally released a resigned breath. His song choice was 'Faded' by Alan Walker, replacing the airy feminine vocals with a solemn baritone. "Umm, okay…" Minako commented afterward, "I was totally _not_ expecting that voice to come out of you. Nice job, Jun."

"Thanks," was all he said as he sat back down and resumed drinking a cola.

Mamoru shook slightly while he claimed the stage, fingers quaking as he scrolled up and down endless pages of songs. "C'mon Mamo-chan, you can do it!" Usagi cheered. "I believe in you!"

"Yeah, don't worry about impressing us," Kyo added. "Do that one song you're always humming in the garage."

He selected it before he could second-guess the suggestion. The upbeat piano melody of 'Kochizuke Diamond' filled the small room and made Usagi bounce in her seat. Mamoru's voice came out quiet and shaky at first, but looking at the expression on her face made him want to do his best for her. By the second verse he was basically serenading Usagi, though he couldn't see how the "I'll put a diamond on your finger" lyric made her giddy.

When Mamoru finished Usagi smothered him with a hug and told him how proud she was, then everyone faced Ami. "Saved the best for last, so I've heard," Nobu said. Unlike Mamoru she didn't hesitate as she ascended the stage and selected a song, holding the mic in both hands as she stood stick-straight with her eyes closed. Her friends waited with bated breath, the girls exchanging little smiles once the song began. Maya Sakamoto's 'Hikari no Naka e' was a classic and Ami had the ideal range for it, hitting the high notes that even Usagi couldn't reach while maintaining perfect pitch all the while. She received thunderous applause at the end.

"You bring a tear to my eye," Minako said, wiping away an actual tear. "Why won't you go into showbiz with me?"

"I belong at a computer desk, not in a stadium or anything," Ami replied. She glanced at Zen and found him staring at her slack-jawed, making her blush. "So what are we going to sing for our ensemble?"

"Ooh, good question. Ladies, assemble!" Rei, Usagi and Makoto joined them to form a circle around the karaoke machine. "Group song?"

"Something by AKB48. They had so many hits this year!"

"No, we should do Momoiro Clover Z!"

"What about 'Shiki no Uta'? I like that one."

"Well I like 'Look to the Sky'."

"I think we sound awesome doing Dream's 'My Will'."

"We're not singing a theme from _Inuyasha_ , Usagi."

"But it's pretty!"

Minako lifted her head to look at the boys waiting patiently. "Hey. What if we did 'Night of Fire' from Initial D? That has to be one they all know."

"Oh my god, yes. They'll love it."

"I don't care about impressing boys."

"Did you see the way Jun looked at you when you were singing, Rei-chan?"

"No, I was staring at the wall above your heads."

"He was _captivated_."

"So was Zen during Ami's turn!"

"If they aren't already in love with you, they will be after we sing this."

"I don't want anyone to be in love with me!"

"Didn't Hinoi Team do a para-para routine for this song?"

"I'm not doing any dancing in this miniskirt."

"By the way it's super cute, Mako-chan."

"Thanks. Still not dancing."

"So who's with me? Can we sing 'Night of Fire'?"

"It's your birthday party, Mina-chan. You get to make the executive decision."

"Then let's do it!" She righted herself and spun around, passing four more mics to her friends before hitting the play button and striking a pose like a diva. "This one is for you guys!" she called, pointing at none of them in particular.

Jun was the only one who didn't start whooping and whistling at their very enthusiastic performance because he didn't recognize the song or the anime it came from, but he found it kind of cool how the rest of his teammates did. The memory of Minako, Usagi, Rei, Makoto and Ami all singing and grooving to the theme from such an iconic car-related series was one the members of Noctis Racing would treasure for a long time. It may have been silly, but to them it yet again proved that the five girls were honest in their support of the racers' shared dream.

And it was time they start returning the sentiment.


	10. Cool

**Chapter Ten: Cool**

Kyo returned from dropping Mina off at her home and strode out of the garage while spinning his car keys around one finger, grinning like an idiot and uncaring who saw.

"Kyosuke, hold it."

Unless it happened to be his father.

He spun toward the man covered in black dust from cleaning rotors and calipers. Tatsuo didn't _look_ particularly pissed off, but Kyo could tell from his father's tone of voice that he was in some kind of trouble. "What's up Dad?" he asked, the grin diminishing to a slight quirk of his lips.

"We need to have a talk." Tatsuo nodded in the direction of the lounge and Kyo followed obediently, claiming a bar stool while his father folded his arms and leaned against the door. He attempted to wipe away the thick powder outline that had formed around his safety glasses but only succeeded in smudging it, sighing. "Were you planning on introducing me to your girlfriend at some point in time, or even telling me you had one?"

Kyo deduced why he was getting chewed out from those two questions alone. "Dad, about last night—"

Tatsuo held up a hand to silence him. "We'll get to that. First I want to know why you didn't feel the need to tell me you were seeing someone. I was starting to wonder where you were randomly disappearing to on the weekends, and then Mamoru informed me you've been going out on dates. I shouldn't have to hear it from him– he isn't my son."

"I'm sorry, Dad. Things have been kind of hectic so I haven't had time to sit down and talk to you."

"Well you're sitting now," Tatsuo returned, gesturing expectantly. "Can I at least know the name of this girl?"

"Aino Minako. She's a first-year at Azabu High School."

His father raised an eyebrow. "And you're fooling around with someone four years younger than you because…?"

Kyo frowned; what did her age matter? "Because she's gorgeous and clever and talented, and she's completely supportive of what I do. She makes me feel like the king of the world."

"I see. So that explains why you thought it'd be a fine idea to bring her into _my_ house after midnight and cause a ruckus, because you think you're the lord of this castle all of a sudden."

Kyo covered part of his reddening face with one hand, offering a meek apology. "I'm so sorry. It was her birthday yesterday and we spent all evening singing with our friends. Mina's amazing, Dad. She's going to be famous someday." He lowered his gaze even more. "I just wanted to be alone with her. I didn't think you'd hear us."

Tatsuo sighed and shook his head. "Our walls may not be paper-thin but they're not made of concrete either. Did you at least use protection?"

"Of course. I'm not procreating until after I've won a race at Nürburgring."

His father laughed loudly. "That's a terrible stipulation, Kyosuke. You'll be there sooner than you think if Zenjirou has his way."

 _'Zen always gets his way,'_ Kyo thought, putting the notion of having babies with Mina _way_ out of sight and mind. "You know, I don't think it's fair to just ream my ass when Mamoru is the one with a girlfriend who actually works here."

" _Mamoru_ told me he and Usagi had just gotten together as soon as he came back from the train station," Tatsuo retorted. "We had a long talk about how she's not going to be a distraction for him. They keep things professional."

Kyo scoffed. "Yeah, we'll see how long that lasts."

"His consideration for our reputation lasted longer than yours and that's the real reason why we're having this discussion." That stern expression returned. "You're not a carefree high school student any more, you're a professional. It's time for you to buckle down and focus if you really want to base a successful career on all this." Tatsuo indicated the complex as a whole. "Koji and I are no longer the faces of Noctis Racing, you are. You're the oldest, the most experienced, and the one with a real legacy to uphold."

A slew of emotions surged through Kyo as soon as his father said Mamoru's name in the manner insinuating his superiority. He had been hearing it since the day they met, when Koji brought eight year-old Zen and recently-adopted Mamoru to the go-kart track where Kyo had already won two trophies as a junior racer. He was thrilled to make a new friend who wanted to be a famous racecar driver just like him. Their fathers also hoped Mamoru would be the one to get Kyo and Zen to compete together, but his introduction only made Zen even more obstinate.

Being a year older than his teammate, Kyo had always been the one jumping into uncharted waters and learning how to navigate them first. He started racing go-karts as soon as he could walk, then graduated to mini stock cars at age eleven. When he turned fifteen he entered the Red Sun Rally to learn what it felt like behind the wheel of a real sports car, but rallycross wasn't the right fit. At sixteen Kyo entered the Nipponia GT Series' junior championship and came in third place overall with his father's Lexus LFA. Mamoru acquired the Porsche GT3 the year after and joined him, bumping them up to second, and the 2016 season had resulted in a first-place victory. Following that Acura asked Noctis to tune one of their NSX prototypes to see how it fared on the grand touring circuit. Kyo would be racing it for the first time in the 2017 NGT professional championship.

He wasn't exactly angry that Mamoru had followed _exactly_ in his footsteps since they were kids. What pissed him off was his father's unreasonable expectation that he'd start coming in first as soon as he ascended to a new racing tier. Of _course_ Mamoru seemed like the superior driver; he got to watch Kyo flounder until figuring out how to surpass the other competitors, and then he just followed the method for success!

Tatsuo resumed working as Kyo headed up to the house on the hill, some of his irritability dissipating when he noticed that his room smelled like sex and perfume. There was also some glitter on his pillows, a remnant of Mina's face being pressed into it while he fucked her from behind. No, their relationship wasn't professional at all. It was fun, and Kyo liked being able to have fun for once in his life. Racing had been fun until his father decided to mold him into an exact replica of himself. It wasn't like Tatsuo was crippled or even too old to race; he stayed active, he was in good shape. He could return to the track at any time and earn his own victories. Unlike him, Koji had a perfectly valid reason for stepping away from the scene: he had a multinational billion-dollar company to run almost single-handedly. How on earth he'd managed to build up West End Transport while racing all over the world alongside Tatsuo was anyone's guess. Clearly he expected Zen to have inherited his formidable multitasking abilities.

It was only November and NGT began in March, but Kyo was already stressing about it. He toyed with the idea of entering the Red Sun Rally in order to keep his skills sharp but he couldn't use the NSX and his Lotus was the furthest thing from a rally car. Was there enough time to purchase another Mitsubishi Evolution X and build it to the same specifications as Jun's car? Probably yes; the poor Evo appeared in the shop at least once a week because Jun beat the shit out of it during his practices. Once he commented that he should just have his M3 GTR imported since it had been produced with superior German engineering and could handle the stress. As a point of pride Kyo considered tuning a Subaru WRX just so he could wave a victory in Jun's face.

A knock on the door took his attention off the Subie forums. "Yeah?"

"It's me," Mamoru announced. He faltered, nose scrunching as he sniffed the air. "It smells like sex in here."

"How would _you_ know? You're not getting any."

Mamoru narrowed his eyes. "You know what, never mind. I'll leave since you're being an asshole this early in the morning."

"Wait, I'm sorry. My dad just yelled at me for waking him up last night with the nocturnal activities Mina and I engaged in."

"Understandable…" Mamoru cast his gaze around the room. "I'd probably yell at you too if I had heard you. Where is it safe for me to sit?" He grew mildly concerned when it took Kyo a minute to point to the very edge of his bed, and he gingerly lowered himself. "I came to run an idea by you." Kyo draped an arm over the back of his desk chair, indicating he was all ears. "I was thinking about participating in the Red Sun Rally, only because I haven't done anything since July and I've been unable to drive the LFA at all."

"Are you shitting me?" he demanded, smirking at Mamoru's alarmed expression, "I was considering entering the Rally, too! We should do it together!"

"Oh, well, okay… Do you know how to navigate? I don't."

Kyo waved it off. "Who needs pace notes? Jun said _he_ didn't want a navigator."

"But one of us has to be the designated driver, right? We're not allowed to switch after we register." Kyo waved that off, too; they'd figure it out when the time came. But Mamoru wanted to work out all the details now. "We don't have a car, either. I don't even know which class we would enter. Maybe this isn't a good idea after all…"

"Sure it is," Kyo refuted. "I know you've been discouraged by not being able to practice with the LFA because my dad is a dick who put you on probation for three months…" Mamoru raised an eyebrow. "…so this is a great opportunity for us to get in some drive time together! And since I already competed once, I know most of the rules and regulations." He clicked a tab on his browser. "If we want to use an engine-swapped car or one featuring homemade chassis or motor, we enter the Unlimited class. If we want to use a mildly-modified production car we enter the Open class. If we use a high-performance car with minimal tuning, we enter the Super class. And if we just want to dick around in something that's two-point-five liters or less we enter the Light class. Take your pick."

Mamoru put a thoughtful finger to his lips. "Jun is in the Super class, right? Unlimited would be fun if we had more than a month to get ready. I think Open class is probably our best option."

Kyo accepted the decision with a nod. "That's what I was thinking, too. On the other hand it would be fun as fuck to pick up an FTO and pull off some front-wheel drifts." His friend laughed at the notion. "Really, I'm leaning toward Mitsubishi to maintain some semblance of team unity. Jun has the Evo so we could use an Eclipse, a Galant VR4, or even a turbocharged Mirage." Mamoru pretended to think about it. "Buuut since I know you love Toyotas so much we should probably look for a Soarer or Celica GT4."

"Funny you mention the Celica…" Now it was Kyo's turn to quirk an eyebrow of intrigue. "I drove by one sitting outside a shop downtown when I dropped off Usagi the other day. It looked like it had been in a front-end collision, and there was rust on the roof and hood."

"That doesn't sound like anything we can't handle. Let's go pick it up right now." Kyo hopped to his feet, grabbing his keys and wallet while Mamoru sat in shock before scrambling after him.

"Wait, what about Zen? We have to let him know what we're planning."

"Your phone's paid up, right? Call and tell him."

Mamoru fumbled with his cell while following Kyo out to the garage. "Hey, Zen. Uh, Kyo and I want to enter the Red Sun Rally."

The other end was silent for a moment, and then Zen released a beleaguered sigh. "Do you have any idea how much paperwork I had to fill out for Higashino alone? It's too late for you to enter the Super class with him, you know."

"We know. We'd like to enter the Open class."

"Oh really? Did Noctis acquire another car with rally specs while I wasn't looking?"

"Ah, no… We want to buy one. A Celica GT4." It was a good sign that Zen hummed with interest. "I saw one at a shop in the metro. It needs some body work, and obviously we won't buy it unless the motor is straight." Mamoru had inadvertently followed Kyo into his father's office in the garage, pausing at the threshold while he scrounged around.

"And how exactly do you plan on completing this purchase when the card for racing-related expenditures is on my person?" Zen inquired.

Kyo found the business credit card and grinned. "He doesn't have the only one! Let's go, Mamoru."

Zen sighed again. "You know, if I was as impetuous and selfish as Kyosuke, I would do something like freeze that card so you couldn't use it. But I'm not trying to be an _inconvenience_ to anyone. I know you need this, Mamoru." The blue-eyed boy opened his mouth but couldn't find the right words to say. "I know _why_ you need this," Zen said in a softer tone, "to drive, to compete, to show everyone you have what it takes to win. I understand that desire… now, anyway. So you do whatever it takes to satisfy that need, and I'll handle the paperwork."

Mamoru could hear the reverent smile in his brother's voice and hoped his own adequately conveyed his gratitude. "Thanks a lot, Zen. Do you want us to keep you in the loop, give you updates and such?"

"No need, I can track your financial activity and follow your project that way. Just make sure to meet all the roll cage requirements or else you'll be disqualified at the first site. That would give everyone else in the Open class a substantial lead over you."

"Thanks for the advice. Bye." With that Mamoru hung up and smiled at Kyo's expectant visage. "We have Zen's blessing to compete in the Rally. Let's go check out the Celica."

* * *

Nobu's acoustic guitar accompanied him to school on his birthday, earning stares from students and faculty alike. "Hey, you brought it!" Minako waved to Usagi and Makoto, the three of them fawning over the instrument and causing a bit of a commotion in the locker area. Kids he didn't even know gathered around to ask what songs he knew, if he was going to perform for some reason, if he was trying out for band, could he sing too or just play, and did he write his own songs? Nobu finally spread his arms and politely asked everyone to back off so he could get to class.

"Does it have a name?" Makoto asked during their walk to the first-year hall. "Happy birthday, by the way." There was a gift card in her locker she wanted to give him at lunch. Only Minako and Usagi shared the same class so more often than not Makoto and Nobu joined them in 1-B. Occasionally they all wandered into town for McDonald's.

"Yeah, her name's Wynona," Nobu answered. He brought it around, sat on his desk, planted his feet on the chair, and fished a pick from his pocket before plucking a few strings. "She's vintage, too. 1976 Ibanez Concord 678."

"I have no idea what that means, but cool," Usagi remarked. Having never seen anyone play an instrument in-person before, she was fascinated. "How many songs do you know?"

"A lot, but probably none you're familiar with. Here's The Rolling Stones' 'Paint it Black'." The girls oohed and ahhed at his skillful fingers. "Green Day's 'Good Riddance'…"

"Oh, I've heard that before!" Minako exclaimed. "Keep going! Go through all the songs you know!" Other classmates clustered and it became a bit of a competition to identify whatever Nobu played. He strummed 'Photograph', 'Landslide', and 'Yellow' before their first teacher walked in and asked everyone to claim their seats, pausing just after beginning the lesson to acknowledge Nobu's birthday.

When the lunch bell chimed the four friends met in the hall with their obentos in hand, heading outside through the locker room so Makoto could grab her gift card, which she casually handed to the boy. "Here, I got this for you."

Nobu's eyes sparkled as he accepted it. "Aww, thanks a lot, Sharkie." She tried playing it off as no big deal but really she was elated, especially since he used the silly nickname she had recently acquired. He opened the decorative envelop and discovered an allowance to an art supply store in their neighborhood shopping center. "Oh, this is awesome!" Nobu exclaimed. "I saw some colored pencil sets in there last week that I wanted to try, and I can get more Copics! Thanks so much!" He embraced her in a bear hug and Makoto couldn't help but let out an uncharacteristic giggle. He pulled back to beam at her. "Wanna swing by with me on our way home?"

"Sure," she grinned, and then they hurriedly ate their lunches so Nobu could start performing.

As soon as he hopped up on the table his expression fell. "Oh man, I suddenly have no idea what to play." He bit his lip while searching the ground. "Hang on, I got it– I'll do Tsuchie and Kazami's 'You'. And yes, I did decide to learn this song after watching Samurai Champloo." Minako made a sound of approval when he began singing in his unique baritone, Usagi softly humming along and swaying from side to side. Makoto tried not to stare at him with hearts in her eyes, but it was kind of difficult since it was a love song. She wanted him to serenade _her_ yet she knew the real reason why Nobu could convey so much emotion was because he thought of Natalie. He held up a hand to acknowledge the applause he received from the girls and some other students who had stopped to listen. "How much time do we have left, ten minutes?" Usagi consulted her watch and nodded. "Okay, I've got one in mind. But the lyrics are in English." Minako gave her friends a smug look since she was the most fluent among them; spending a year at an English school had given her an advantage. "This is called 'Pocket Full of Shells' by The Yum Yums and Mat McHugh."

Right away the atmosphere changed, melancholy notes lilting over the area while Nobu sang in a somber tone. Makoto understood most of the lyrics of the bridge, and she knew this was a song for Natalie as well. _'If he were with me he wouldn't have to express how much he missed me. I would be with him all the time, and he'd be happy.'_

"That was a good one," Minako commented during their return to class. "You have a really great voice."

"Thanks, it's my bonfires-on-the-beach voice."

She quirked an eyebrow. "You can have those here, you know. We live on an _island_. You drove us to Ami's _beach_ house."

"All right, all right," Nobu chuckled, "maybe we can all go there next year for summer vacation and I'll bring Wynona." Minako nodded her approval before they headed into their respective classrooms, but Usagi loitered in the hall with Makoto.

She glanced around surreptitiously before standing on tiptoes to address the brunette. "You have a _thing_ for Nobu, don't you?"

"Wh-what?" Makoto's stutter and blush betrayed her instantly. "Why would I have a crush on a guy with a girlfriend?"

"Because they're separated by a whole ocean and she's not here as a constant reminder that he's off-limits," Usagi answered. Her admonishing expression softened. "Nobu is really great so I totally understand why you like him, but it's kind of obvious when you giggle like that."

"I didn't mean to, it just came out! I was surprised." Makoto knotted her fingers. "You won't tell him, right? Or Minako? I know she'll start meddling, try to hook me up with some other guy."

"Wouldn't that be better than pining after someone you can't have?"

 _'No, it would only remind me of all the ways he doesn't measure up to Nobu.'_ Makoto shook her head. "I guess I'd rather love him in silence from afar." Usagi flashed a look of pity before patting her arm, then they separated to finish their second set of classes.

Hours later, after Makoto and Nobu had swung by the art supply shop where he left with several new drawing materials, the girl received a knock at her door that he knew by heart. Glancing at the clock revealed it was 22:45, and she opened the door with a worried look. "Nobu, what's wrong? It's late." She still stepped aside to let him in.

"I know, I'm sorry, I just needed someone to vent to." They sat on the couch together, Nobu gripping his knees. "I know I'm probably overreacting, but Natalie didn't call me. She didn't call me or text me or _anything_ on my own birthday!" Anxiety was evident in his eyes. "Do you think that means something?"

"Like what?" Makoto asked. "Maybe she was really busy and forgot." But what kind of girlfriend forgot their boyfriend's birthday after dating for three years?

"I don't know, but James and Kyle Skyped me together. They said Nat's doing fine, too. Their band is practicing for a talent show in a couple weeks so I was expecting to talk about it with her, but I haven't heard a peep all day."

Makoto reached for his hand. "I'm sure she just got caught up with personal things, or else…" She abruptly clamped her mouth shut, Nobu's head whipping toward her.

"Nuh uh, don't leave me hanging. Or else what, Sharkie? Tell me what your girl's intuition thinks."

She drew in a deep breath and shook her head slightly, scolding herself for being so petty. "Maybe Natalie has reached the point where she can't deal with a long-distance relationship."

Nobu groaned and slumped into the cushions. "You could be right– I feel like I'm the only one putting out any effort these days! I _always_ text her first, making sure it's not three in morning or something so I don't wake her up, and she'll just text me back whenever. I tell her how my week went and she just goes 'uh huh' or 'that's cool', but it's like she'd rather be doing something besides talking with me." He sighed. "I dunno, maybe I'm being too sensitive."

"Natalie is your girlfriend and you love her," Makoto said. "It's not unreasonable for you to want her to reciprocate her feelings through similar actions."

"Yeah, especially since she used to before." He rolled his eyes and stood up. "I'm sure you're right and it's just a distance thing. There's only a month until she comes to visit, then everything'll go back to normal."

 _'You're putting a lot of faith in that statement.'_ Makoto only smiled and let him take a slice of lemon cake home, her countenance dimming once the door closed behind him. How long was Nobu going to cling to a girl who had already let him go?

* * *

Zen practically bounced on his toes as he waited outside Ami's classroom, reducing his giddy grin to nothing more than a pleasant smile. The first-years shuffling past regarded him curiously, but there was only one among them he noticed. "Ami-chan, my favorite electronics shop just got new projectors in stock. I'm going to buy one for my room. Do you want to come?"

"I'd love to," she replied. Involving technology was a sure-fire way to get her to join any type of excursion.

"Excellent! Let's go." Zen took hold of her hand and all but flew down the steps, waiting for Ami to don her jacket before proffering her helmet. She had no reservations about going with him on the Ninja; Zen was a skilled, observant rider who never took unnecessary risks. She trusted him to get them to their destination in one piece.

Ami released a little "ooh" when they entered the store. It was small but clearly catered to a particular clientele since only elite brands filled the shelves. There were TVs, laptops and tablets, parts to build high-performance PCs, speakers, smart home tech, and all the necessary cables and adapters. Zen made a beeline for the rear of the shop, coming to a stop before a Sony projector that made Ami gasp at the price. "Zen, this is almost a million yen!"

"I know, but it's so worth it. 4K definition, fifteen-hundred lumens, 3D video support…" Ami begrudgingly admitted it would be a worthwhile investment. "I already set up a track system so I can move it between my study and my room, and I added special paint to the walls."

"You did that in a week?" He nodded eagerly. "Well, I guess all that's left is to deal a blow to your bank account." Zen grabbed a box and took it to the sales counter, Ami trying her best not to gape at the 800,000 yen charge to his debit card. Since they couldn't carry the projector on the motorcycle Zen arranged to have it delivered later that day, which automatically meant Ami would be going to the penthouse with him to help set it up.

As soon as they left Ginza it began to rain, lightly at first, the drops cold upon Ami's bare legs. Soon it turned into sleet, prompting her to cling to Zen for protection. He sped up significantly, cutting traffic which he normally didn't do in an effort to reach Koto ward sooner rather than later. By the time he pulled into the underground parking garage they were completely soaked and freezing. Ami shivered so much her teeth chattered, and once they arrived at the penthouse Zen immediately peeled off both their jackets and threw them in the wash. He placed their shoes by the artificial fireplace before escorting Ami up to his room where he enveloped her in a huge fluffy towel, ruffling her hair and rubbing her shoulders. "Better?" he asked.

"Yes, thank you." Ami sneezed then, so Zen angled her toward the bathroom.

"Take a shower, a long hot one. Leave your clothes outside the door and I'll wash them, too."

"O-okay…" she sniffled, shuffling into the large room. Ami removed her socks first, grimacing at her white toes. She hurriedly undressed the rest of the way and scurried into the shower, pressing buttons on the interface to summon a cascade of warmth from the ceiling. Ambient lighting kicked on, glimmering over the black granite tiles while she rubbed heat back into her limbs. This winter was shaping up to be terrible, but at least the storm had only brought frigid rain instead of thunder.

Once finished she wrapped herself in a new dry towel and traded places with Zen, sitting on the edge of his bed while he rinsed off. Ami lay back after a minute, thinking this wasn't the first time he had acted so quickly and without hesitation in tending her needs. She felt quite at-home with him, and that realization made her face flush. Or maybe it was because he'd raised the thermostat in his room. She traced the new metal track along the wall to where it ended above his bed, and she imagined it'd be pretty fun snuggling beneath the blankets and eating junk food while watching movies. Ami heard Zen answer his phone in the bathroom, catching a short conversation regarding a delay with the projector's delivery due to the weather. He exited with a dismayed sigh, and Ami noted he wore a bathrobe instead of a towel around his waist, probably because he remembered how embarrassed she had been to see him shirtless. "The shop is waiting to deliver the projector until the rain eases up." He moved over to the windows. "Who knows when that will be?"

Ami came to stand beside him, noting how dark the sky was. "Zen, I want to thank you."

"Hm? What for?"

"For taking such good care of me whenever I'm here." She smiled at him. "You always know exactly what I need."

For some reason he mirrored her blush. "It's no problem at all, Ami. Like I said, you're my guest and I want you to be comfortable. And I like… I like having someone here with me." _'Because I'm tired of feeling lonely'_ he neglected to say.

"Well, I like being here with you," Ami returned. "Not just because I get to use all your fancy technology that I could never afford. I promise I'm not living vicariously through you."

Zen laughed lightly. "I don't think I'd be mad if you were." _'Because I like being with you, too'_ and why on earth was he suddenly too cowardly to actually say such a thing? Why was his heart beating so rapidly and why were his fingers itching to brush her exposed shoulder? Ami was his friend, his tech buddy, his confidant. She was… a girl he really liked. She was standing right next to him, smiling at him so beatifically, and before the action even registered Zen cupped her face with one hand and kissed her. It only lasted a few seconds; Ami stood there in disbelief when he pulled away, covering his mouth. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry. I don't know why I did that."

"Um" was the only thing Ami could vocalize. Zen had just kissed her, her first one, and while startling it hadn't been unpleasant. His lips were soft, his touch was gentle, and he smelled like mint and teatree oil. He was a fellow intellectual, her study partner, her companion. It never mattered that he was a boy but she couldn't get that fact out of her head now. Zen was a boy she really liked, a brilliant, ambitious person who would never hurt her. And it dawned on her how handsome he was; he had a soft jawline, full lips, and his green contacts made his gaze passive, although it currently held fear that he had done something unforgivable. "Um, it's okay," Ami finally spoke. "I'm just… that was my first kiss."

"I'm sorry," Zen reiterated, "I shouldn't have done that. I don't know why—"

"It has to be because you feel something," Ami interjected, "something that isn't only amiability, something beyond friendship. And it's okay because… I think I feel it as well." Zen opened his mouth but then closed it, searching her expression to make sure she truly meant what she just said. Ami's heart pounded while she watched and waited for his reaction.

Eventually Zen cleared his throat, his Adam's apple bobbing nervously. "Ami, you know how much I enjoy your company. I consider you my best friend, but I do… I _do_ feel something in addition to our amiable rapport. But I'm terrified of losing what we already have."

"I am too, Zen," she kindly replied, "but I think we should give our mutual feelings a chance to express themselves instead of festering and eroding us. That would be the most logical thing to do."

A little smile turned his lips. "So you're saying it would be logical for me to kiss you again?" Ami only nodded, her stomach flip-flopping as Zen placed a hand on her cheek once more, his thumb skimming her lips before he met them with his own. This time a wave crashed over her, temporarily tuning out all other aspects of the world except for the sensation of kissing Zen. His fingers slid to the back of her neck while his other hand found hers and gripped it, his palm sweaty and shaking slightly. She quivered as well, her knees almost buckling when her lips parted and the kiss abruptly deepened, sending another surge of giddiness through her whole body. Ami grabbed onto his robe to support herself and Zen responded by wrapping his arms around her waist to hold her steady.

After what felt like an eon they separated for air, drawing in several deep breaths before going right back at it with mutual fervor. Ami had never kissed anyone else so she didn't know if Zen was technically good at it or not, but he made her tingle from head to toe which was what mattered. She crossed her wrists behind his neck and drew him closer, so close she could feel his heart hammering at the same rate as her own. When he sucked on her lower lip she let out the tiniest of whimpers, then she felt chilled glass on her shoulders as Zen pushed her against the window, eliciting a gasp. "Are you okay?" he immediately inquired. Ami hummed a confirmation, unable to utter anything more than sounds of pleasure that disappeared into his mouth as teeth and tongues got involved. She was literally sinking beneath the blissful weight of this experience, now knowing why Minako and Usagi bragged about their make-out sessions with cute boys.

Zen could feel Ami slipping down his chest but he was too lightheaded to do anything about it, so they ended up falling to the carpet together with him on top. He took a moment to breathe properly, noting how Ami's pale skin was tinged pink from her cheeks to her chest where his attention lingered. It hadn't occurred to him until now that they were both still naked post-shower. "Should we stop?" he asked.

His husky tone made Ami shiver, but as an answer she only shook her head and grabbed his face to reclaim his mouth. She wanted to keep riding this high, see how long it lasted and how far it would take her. Her fingers tangled in his hair as he broke away to kiss along her jaw up to her ear, giving the lobe a nip before arriving at the sensitive spot behind it. Another shiver slid along her spine and she pushed her hips into him, a rumble of want emanating low in his throat. It was a sound Ami wanted to hear more of so she kept doing it, establishing a rhythm that Zen matched after a moment, masculine moans greeting her ears as their tongues entwined and lips caught between teeth. "Ami…" he breathed among their desperate connections, "we need to stop."

"Why?" she asked, also breathless.

"Because… the people… projector." Zen couldn't even form a cohesive sentence, too overcome with euphoria.

"It's still raining," Ami returned. But she started thinking they _were_ getting a bit carried away.

He propped himself up on his forearms to look straight down at her. "We should stop now because I can feel myself losing control with you, and I don't want to when we just became romantically involved."

"I understand." She kept staring at his marvelous lips. "I know I was spiraling. I never met anyone I even wanted to kiss, but with you…" She trailed off and blushed. Zen grinned before helping her back to her feet, vertigo making them both wobble precariously. "Um, we should probably get dressed."

"Right, I'll go check on the clothes." Zen paused at the bedroom door, looking back at her. "Since we're together now I want you to treat this place like your second home. Everything I have is now yours as well, so use it as you see fit."

"Oh Zen, that's way too generous…"

"No, it's far less than what you deserve." He regarded her sincerely, intensely. "Anything you want, whatever you need, let me know and I'll give it to you. I'll give you the entire world, Ami."


	11. Meet

**Chapter Eleven: Meet**

Usagi, Makoto, and Minako wandered aimlessly along the streets of Azabujūban with hot beverages in hand as they waited for texts announcing Ami and Rei's arrival, but until then they did some Christmas window shopping. While Makoto stopped to stare longingly at a pair of designer boots, Usagi's phone trilled. "They're here, finally," she relayed to her friends, and the three of them made a beeline for Crown Fruit Parlor.

Ami and Rei hugged Makoto simultaneously. "Happy birthday!" they cheered, proffering gift boxes.

"Aww, you guys, you didn't have to…" But they were both wealthy enough to give presents for every occasion, so it was basically futile to protest. Makoto received a mini makeup kit from Rei and an earring and bracelet set from Ami that she promptly wore. The jewelry went rather well with the boho-chic bag Minako had repurposed for her, and the beauty box joined the just-released video game Usagi managed to grab a copy of. The five friends discovered that their favorite table had a reserve placard on it courtesy of the server named Unazuki, who glided over with a beaming smile.

"I heard it was your birthday, Kino-chan! You can have anything from the menu on the house!"

"Ooh, in that case, I have to order that rainbow sundae." Hot chocolate was also requested all around and it only took a few minutes for their treats to arrive. Makoto grinned at her friends, holding up five spoons. "You guys are going to help me eat this thing, right?"

Rei sighed in mock resignation. "Sure, even though it would be hilarious to watch you get brain freeze over and over again." She scooped a glob of raspberry sorbet. "Why _do_ people crave ice cream in the winter, anyway?"

Ami held up an informative finger. "Because it's sugary and fatty, and burning those calories helps keep us warm."

"You're so smart, Ami-chan," Usagi remarked. "If only I knew half the things you do, maybe I wouldn't be dreading winter exams."

Minako hugged her. "I'm right there with you, but we'll show our teachers that the study sessions with Nobu and Makoto weren't for nothing! We'll score at least sixty!" The others laughed, and then Minako's expression dimmed. "How long has it been since we all hung out together, huh?"

They considered it. "It must have been the Urban Action Grand Prix in September," Makoto answered. "So two and a half months?"

"Yeah, that's what I thought. I miss you guys."

"Me too…" Usagi agreed, resting her head on her arms. "It's like we're all going different directions."

Ami consolingly patted them both. "That's just the winter blues talking. We're in high school now and we all have responsibilities– that's nothing to be sad over. Don't you like having a job and a boyfriend, Usagi-chan? Isn't it nice being able to live on your own a little?"

"Yeah, you got to learn how to drive first!" Makoto put in.

"But _you_ were working and had your own place before the rest of us," Rei pointed out. "You're the most responsible one here, I think." The birthday girl looked sheepish.

Minako shoved a giant spoonful of vanilla ice cream into her mouth, then slapped her palm on the table. "Guys, you have to promise me right now that we'll stay friends after we graduate, no matter where we go or what we end up doing. I don't wanna lose any of you."

They instantly put their hands in. "Of course, Mina-chan. Why would you even worry about that?"

"Because… because…" She groaned. "You all have plans and stuff to do, and I have nothing!"

"What are you talking about?" Makoto chided. "You have Kyosuke, and your whole Instagram thing, and Pepper and Artemis, and volleyball during the warm months."

Rei flipped a few strands of hair over her shoulder. "Interesting that you listed _him_ first since men are good-for-nothing distractions. Don't let your happiness depend on one."

"That's so rude, Rei-chan!" Usagi protested. "What's so bad about being in love, huh? I think you're just jealous that Minako and I have hot boyfriends!"

"Oh, please."

Ami cleared her throat, nervously knotting her fingers. "Umm, you two aren't the only ones any more…" The girls stared at her. "Zen and I are together now."

Minako squealed in delight. "I can't believe it! Ami has a boyfriend! Have you kissed yet? Is he good at it? Zen has those full, pouty boy lips so he _must_ be a good kisser." Ami's blush mostly answered for her, and the whole table tittered. "We should go shopping for something cute you can wear out on a date! And I need to buy presents for Kyo and my parents."

Makoto finished off the sundae and stood. "Well, since it's my birthday, I may as well treat myself. Those boots I saw earlier are really calling my name."

Everyone faced Rei as she rolled her eyes, but she was smiling. "I _suppose_ I can look for a new dress for the Starlight Gala even though I already have one."

"But do you have a matching clutch and shoes?" Usagi asked, to which the answer was no.

They left Crown Fruit Parlor and shopped until the sun began to set, giggling and gossiping all the while. Even though it was Makoto's birthday they were celebrating, the outing was mostly for Minako's sake. She'd been a little down in the dumps lately as the encroaching New Year dredged up feelings of inadequacy and questions concerning what she was going to do with the rest of her life. She did indeed have an awesome boyfriend, but she agreed with Rei and knew she couldn't let him be the sole source of her happiness. Rei and Ami would go to university when they graduated, Makoto would likely inherit the flower shop since the owner expressed interest in moving abroad, and Usagi was getting more into car culture. That left Minako as the only one without a definitive Thing, and she didn't want to be left behind.

"Guys, there's something I want to talk to you about." Minako instantly felt curious eyes on her. "Osaka Naru and I came up with this crazy idea a while ago, but recently we've been discussing it more and working out the details. It involves beauty stuff."

"Uh huh…" Usagi gestured, "Go on."

She squared her shoulders. "Well, it would be like a pen pal program but with makeup, a cosmetics exchange. There are a bunch of brands from overseas that we can't get without paying an arm and a leg for, and there are girls outside Asia that really like our brands. Like, Korean beauty has been trending for a while now." They nodded, connecting the dots. "So me and Naru thought we could, like, organize an online thing for girls who are interested in trading makeup." Everyone stopped to stare at her, and she blushed. "Does… does that sound stupid?"

"No, actually, I think it would work," Ami replied, the gears in her mind audibly turning. "You set up a website, have members provide their location, a wishlist, and what chains and brands they have access to, and it would be as simple as members getting in contact with one another to exchange products."

"Right! But we thought it made the most sense to trade for things around the same price point, that way no one will get ripped off."

"But how do you profit then?" Rei inquired. "What _I_ would do is keep an eye on the wishlists to see which local brands are the most sought-after, buy them here, then raise the price a little and sell them directly through the site. Then, if you save enough, you can get products from the companies on wholesale and make even more money."

"Ooh, that's smart!" Usagi looped her arm through Minako's. "How were you and Naru going to get this idea off the ground, huh?"

"We figured we'd just use our allowances," the other blonde shrugged. "We'd definitely be starting small."

"You don't necessarily _have_ to," Makoto said, "you can use your Instagram as a platform since you're already established there. Every time you post a Mermaid Monday look you're basically providing free advertising for all the brands you tag. Why not get paid for that, too?"

"You should also make YouTube and Twitter accounts! I filmed a turbo installation video with Mamo-chan and the subscriber count for Noctis' channel went way up!"

"Pretty sure that's because _you_ were in the video, Usagi," Makoto laughed. "But she's right, Mina-chan. You can do tutorials and recommendations as well."

She halted to look at each of her friends in turn. "You guys think Naru and I have a shot at this? You don't think it's a stupid idea or a waste of time and money?"

Ami smiled. "Everything comes with risk– you'll never know until you try. If it doesn't work out the way you hoped, you can learn from your mistakes and make changes for success."

"Just let us know what you need from us and when," Rei added, tossing her hair again.

Minako felt tears pricking her eyes. "You guys… you're the best. Thanks for being so supportive." They shared a group hug until Ami cleared her throat.

"So, did you want me to make some site designs tonight?" Her friends laughed. "I'm being serious."

"I know, Ami-chan. Just… thanks." The five girls said their goodbyes and went their separate ways, returning home for dinner. Minako strode through the front door with a spring in her step and joined her parents at the table. "I'm back! Ooh, that looks good!"

"Did you have fun hanging out with everyone?" her father asked as plates were loaded. "It's Kino's birthday today, right?"

"Yep! She really liked the bag I customized for her. We had a sundae at Crown Parlor, found a super cute outfit for Ami, and I told everyone about the cosmetics exchange Naru and I have been working on."

Her mother sighed. "Didn't we tell you to forget about that, Minako? You need to focus on studying for exams."

"But they're all totally on-board with the idea! Ami even offered to design the website– she's probably working on it right now. And Rei thinks that if we get enough capital, we can buy and sell on wholesale! And Makoto made a good point about social media—"

"Minako, stop." Misaki regarded her daughter sternly. "It's not going to happen, okay? You're a high school student who doesn't have time for silly side projects like this– it's bad enough we let you play volleyball in spring and summer. You need to study harder and get your grades up so you can get into university."

She bit her lip. "But I don't have any idea what kind of career I want."

"What happened to Juilliard?" Yoshiro asked. "Didn't you say something about becoming an actress?"

Yes, she had, and her parents told her to forget about that too since she had no experience. Also, being a singer, actress, or idol wasn't a respectable career according to them. Instead of mentioning that, Minako remained silent and poked at her food. After helping wash the dishes she went to her room. Maybe she _should_ sell her photography equipment, forget about Instagram, and dive into her studies.

Eventually a knock came at her door and her father opened it a crack, surprised to see she had a textbook open. Yoshiro gave a little speech about how as her parents they only wanted what was best for her, which Minako amended with "except happiness". She just wasn't very good at academics, okay? She had always been more artistically inclined; now her face was a canvas and makeup was the medium. And why was it so bad if she tried making a living off her beauty, or helping other girls feel good about themselves? Minako traded her pencil for her phone to text Kyo. **Do you think I'm vain?**

 **Of course not. You're beautiful and confident.**

 **So it is wrong for me to use my beauty to get what I want?**

 **Like what?**

 **Like… a job. Everyone keeps telling me I should be a model so maybe I should just go for it, ya know?**

 **You should. You'd be famous in no time.**

 **But what if I'd rather be a singer, an idol?**

 **I think you could do that, too.**

 **What about a business woman?**

There was a delay and her heart sank a little, but then: **You can do anything, Mina. You're amazing.**

 _'Then why don't my own parents tell me that?'_ Tears welled up in her eyes as she reread Kyo's message. If she was so amazing and could do anything, why didn't they support any of her dreams? Why didn't they want her to do what she loved and be happy in life? Not everyone was cut out for academic success, and struggling through junior high alongside Usagi made Minako realize that she was one of those people. She really didn't want to be like her parents; depressed, aimless, simply living without any zest for life because they'd conformed to societal norms. Misaki had wanted to be a ballerina. Yoshiro wanted to be a musician. They let others drag them down and crush their dreams, but Minako refused to let the same thing to happen to her. Her friends believed in her, and their support was all she needed.

 **Thanks, Kyo.** She added a heart emoji before turning to her laptop, searching the Tokyo metro for talent auditions. Why not just go for it? The only person really stopping her from achieving her goals was herself. She focused on singing tryouts, finding one that looked promising. A small-time production studio was looking for an enthusiastic young lady to perform the opening theme for the second season of their break-out romantic drama, some historical fantasy series she'd never heard of. Minako added the time and location to her phone calendar with a smile, a bit giddy that she had decided to take a leap and see where she landed.

It may have been a dark time of the year, but the future was very bright.

* * *

Jun scrutinized his reflection in a full-length mirror, turning to examine himself from all angles. He'd never worn a tuxedo before. He looked incredibly pretentious, but then again he _was_ attending an exclusive gathering for the social elite. He glanced at the watch around his wrist, an expensive piece his father let him borrow for the night, and headed downstairs to the garage. The man wasn't home to tell him to have a good time but Jun had never not been accustomed to his absence. Upon arriving at the Hino's mansion he let the M2 idle while ascending the steps to the doorbell. Their butler saw him in, a middle-aged man who also doubled as a bodyguard. "Miss Rei, your escort has arrived," he spoke into the comms system.

"How does he look?" her voice returned.

"Sophisticated."

"Excellent. I'll be down in a moment." With that the two men stood silently in the foyer, Jun casting his gaze about the vast, empty space. This was way too much house for two people and their hired help: the butler, a cleaning lady, and a cook. Apparently it had to be big because Rei's father hosted his own social gatherings from time to time and it was all part of the package deal that came with being a politician. A footstep on the stairs drew his attention, his breath catching at the sight of Rei. She wore a fitted ruby red gown with a plunging neckline, matching shoes adorned with crystals, and her sleek black hair was styled into a high bun secured with crystal pins. "You look very handsome, Jun," she remarked upon approaching him.

"Thanks," he managed to articulate. "You're very beautiful." Not just now but always. Always flawless and untouchable, especially so tonight. He indicated the front doors. "Ladies first."

She double-checked her clutch for the invitation and sighed. "You seem nervous– so am I. I hate these things but we'll survive it together." The venue was Akasaka Palace and Jun was glad to see he wasn't the only guest who had opted to drive themselves instead of take a limo. A valet put his car somewhere safe, Jun proffered his arm and Rei placed her hand on it, walking like royalty into the state guest house. They stopped at a podium with a registry where she surrendered her invite.

"Hino Rei and escort. May I have your name, Sir?"

 _Sir._ Jun was so not a sir and smiled in amusement. "Jouni Korhonen."

"And your nationality?"

"Finnish."

The man nodded and bid them an enjoyable evening. As soon as they entered the palace Rei flashed him a look, whispering. "What was that, your cover? So no one tries connecting you to your father's investigation?"

"Right," Jun confirmed. "I don't have a birth record here so as far as anyone should be concerned, we aren't related."

"What are you hoping to discover, exactly?" Rei spotted a server walking by with a tray of aperitifs and snagged two, handing one to Jun so they would appear casual. "If the krokodil is coming from Russia, maybe someone among the Trade Policy Bureau has something to do with it." She stood on her tiptoes to survey the room. "That's part of METI, so we should find the right Minister of State." The boy dutifully stuck by her side while she tried to recall the names belonging to the faces in attendance. Rei had been groomed for this sort of thing since birth but because new officials were elected and appointed each term she sometimes found it difficult to remember them all. However, a Diet representative she did recognize swaggered over to her and Jun near one of the drink tables, clearly having enjoyed several already.

"Hino-chan, don't you look lovely tonight!" the elder man spoke way too loudly. "I haven't seen your father yet. Is he running late for the first time in his life?"

"Good evening, Inoue-san," Rei politely returned. "I have no idea what my father may have gotten caught up with but I'm certain he'll be here eventually."

The man hummed and hawed. "Who's this date of yours? He's quite handsome! Are you the son of a dignitary?"

"I'm a foreign exchange student," Jun said. "I go to school with Miss Hino."

"Oho, at St. Teresa's! A fine institution, that one. What's your favorite subject?"

"European History, although I definitely have an advantage."

Inoue squinted to examine Jun. "Are you Russian or Scandinavian?"

Being mistaken for a Russian made him tense. "Ah, Jouni-kun is a Finn," Rei explained while brushing his upper arm. "He's from Helsinki." He raised an eyebrow at her use of the suffix; she always called him 'Jun' plain and simple. She must be acting for these people, too.

"Oh, Finland!" the representative exclaimed, earning several stares. "I've never been but I heard the capital is an exceptional place to admire modern architecture!" Jun nodded and then looked surprised when Inoue managed to sling an arm around his much-taller shoulders, dragging him down a little. "You _must_ tell me which museum is your favorite. And are you a fan of Sibelius? I imagine you would be!"

Rei covered her laugh with a hand as the Diet member dragged Jun off into the crowd, babbling away about visiting the Nordic countries. She made her way over to the food, seeking to appease her growling stomach after starving all day to better fit into her dress since it was a couple years old now; maybe she really should have bought a new one. She ate rather mindlessly, realizing just how hungry she was, until a hand landed on her shoulder and turned her around. The person she found made her gulp before her visage steeled. "Kaidou," she greeted coolly, fully embracing her ice queen persona. "I didn't think I would see you here."

"Hello, Rei," the tall, bespectacled man replied. "I noticed you from across the room and thought I'd say hello. It's been a few years, hasn't it?" His eyes slowly slid down her body and she successfully prevented her lip from curling. "My, how you've grown. You must be… sixteen now, right? How does it feel to be a high school student? It's a very transformative time."

"My studies are going well," she said with practiced detachment.

"Really? The stress isn't getting to you at all?" She shook her head. "That's good, then." Kaidou shuffled closer and Rei held her ground as he smiled at her. "I have to say you've only become more beautiful since I last saw you. Whoever your father ends up deciding you should marry is going to a very lucky man indeed."

"Ex… _excuse_ me?" Rei could only blink at the outlandish statement. "You honestly believe I would let my _father_ determine who I spend the rest of my life with? This is the twenty-first century, Kaidou. He would never subject me to such an archaic practice."

He smirked. "Don't be so sure of that, Rei. I've heard him discussing such an arrangement with many of the House delegates who have sons around your age." Kaidou adjusted his glasses and leaned forward, looming over her. "Of course, if you spurn them all he may consider _older_ suitors. There are many men out there who recognize the benefits of forming a political alliance with your family. And since he and I have history, well…" He spread his hands, feigning innocence. "If Takashi were to offer you to _me,_ I'd be a fool to deny him."

That made her skin crawl and also prickle with rage. Who did Kaidou think he was, coming up to her after three years and saying he expected her hand in marriage like she was some kind of prize to be won for advancing his career? Rei lifted her arm to slap him on impulse but was halted by a voice.

"What's going on, Rei?" She and Kaidou turned toward Jun simultaneously. He read the situation in a nanosecond, coming to stand beside her and wrap an arm loosely around her waist. "Who is this man?"

The knowledge that Jun could break every bone in Kaidou's body greatly helped her relax. "This is Kaidou. He was my father's secretary while I was in elementary school and junior high."

"I see." Jun lifted his chin, staring the other man down. "He's not bothering you, is he?"

"As a matter of f-fact I was just leaving," Kaidou sputtered, bowing to the young couple. "Excuse me."

After he scurried away Rei exhaled the tension she'd withheld, leaning against her date for support. "God, I hate him. I almost hit him and made a spectacle of myself. Thank you for coming to my rescue." She reached for a glass of champagne and stunned Jun by draining the whole thing in one go.

"Did that man do something when you were younger?" he asked, purposely using vague wording.

"I don't want to talk about it," Rei muttered. She glanced around for another alcoholic beverage and chugged that one as well, and then found a shot of amaretto. Before she could down any more liquor Jun caught her hand and led her onto the dance floor, waiting for a gap between spinning couples. "Where'd you learn to waltz?" she queried, genuinely surprised.

"Policeman's balls," he explained. "Mom taught me."

"Oh…" Rei was aware that her face felt a little warmer than usual, but it was a good feeling and she smiled. "You're really good."

"Thanks."

Unfortunately Jun's distraction technique didn't last very long because they separated when other people asked them to dance; he tried keeping an eye on Rei but lost her in the growing crowd. He skillfully evaded the sixth woman who approached him, glancing around and sighing in relief when he spotted Rei by the food once again. But it was clear she'd had even more to drink since their waltz as she swayed slightly on her feet and a permanent blush stained her cheeks. "You look _really_ good out there, Jun," she commented. "You're so handsome, no wonder all the ladies wanna dance with you."

He removed the martini from her hand and drank it himself; he was probably going to need it. Politicians began approaching Rei to ask where her father was, discuss bills and laws currently going through the houses, or straight-up creep on her. Jun held his tongue as perverted old men offered to take her out for dinner, have tea at their homes, or invited her to their offices for "hands-on experience". It disgusted him to see Rei smile and titter like there was nothing wrong with men two or three times her age basically admitting their fantasies to her face in the form of veiled compliments. Was this really the world she wanted to work in? None of these men would take her seriously. All they were doing was objectifying her, and that was unlikely to change since everyone had accepted it long ago.

"Father!" she suddenly shouted, pushing past her two current admirers to throw her arms around a distinguished man. He was also much younger than most of his peers, and he hugged her back like he had too few opportunities to do so.

"Rei, I'm so sorry I'm late," Takashi said when they separated. "Forgive me?"

She waved it off. "It's all right, I've had Jun keeping me company!" She gasped. "Oh, I mean, _Jouni._ "

At least she remembered his cover. He bowed politely but Takashi held out a hand, so they also shook. "You're her friend from school, then? I've heard a bit about you already." Rei talked about him to her father? That was unexpected. "So you aspire to drive cars for a living?"

"Yes, Sir," Jun answered. "I'm participating in the Red Sun Rally next week."

"I see. Are there some makes you prefer over others?"

"Ah, yes. My racing team has provided a last-gen Mitsubishi Evolution for me to use this time, but back home I compete with a BMW M3 GTR which had a very limited production run. I try not to abuse it too badly." Much to his surprised the man laughed. "I drive a new M2 as my personal vehicle."

Takashi hummed. "I'm partial to AMG coupes myself. The Germans build good cars, don't they?" Jun was thrown for a loop since he'd said the exact same thing to Nobu on Minako's birthday, but he agreed wholeheartedly. Rei's father turned to her and frowned at the bellini she was sipping. "Young lady, what do you think you're doing?"

She shrugged. "Listening to you two talk about dumb car stuff."

Her speech patterns were off and Takashi noticed. "How many of those have you had tonight?" She didn't answer, eyes on the ground. "Enough, I'm guessing. Would you mind taking her home for me, Jouni? I'm afraid I have to mingle for a bit before I'm allowed to leave since I kept several people waiting too long as it is."

Rei scoffed and swatted Jun's hand aside when he tried to usher her out, glaring at her father. "So you think you can just show up out of the blue and start making decisions for me, huh? Like I'm not old enough to know what's best for me? Like I haven't been taking care of myself for the last decade, since Mother died?"

The man cringed, aware that several people were now staring. "Rei, this isn't the time or place to talk about this."

"Then when will it be, Father? After you've married me off to someone I don't know, someone I don't love, someone who just wants to use us to get ahead in life?" Takashi looked bewildered. "I heard that's what you have planned for me, from _Kaidou_ of all people." Rei stood on her tiptoes again to examine the crowd. "Where is that sleazeball, anyway?"

She made a sound of indignation when her father grabbed her arm and marched her outside the palace. "You've done a terrific job of embarrassing me, Rei. Now it's time for you to go home."

"I'm sure it'll be at least another week before I see you there, too," she nastily retorted. "Or maybe I should just plan to wait until New Year's when you show up at the Hikawa Shrine with half-assed apologies for Grandpa and I." Takashi appeared stricken by guilt and anger, so Jun stepped in before Rei could hurt him further. "Get your stupid hands off me, Jun!" She fought against his grasp as he sort of pushed and carried her down the steps to his car. "I said let go, you barbarian!" She stopped once he'd buckled her seatbelt.

Rei fumed during the drive to the mansion, and then went right back to slapping Jun as he opened the door and offered a hand to help her out. "Get away from me. Don't touch me." He obliged until she staggered up the steps and almost twisted her ankle, then he swept her over his shoulder. "Put me down!" she shrieked, kicking wildly and pounding on his back. The butler was alarmed when he walked through the entry and headed straight up to her room, recalling the door she'd exited earlier. Dim light spilled from a wide window opposite the bed and Jun all but dropped her on it. "You're such an _asshole_ ," Rei spat.

"And you're a mean drunk," he said evenly. "You didn't have to say any of those things to your dad."

She rolled her eyes. "Tch, of _course_ you'd take his side. You're just like him. Thinking I'll sit around patiently waiting for you to come back, like I'm always on your schedule and I don't have my own life to live."

He frowned. "When have I ever kept you waiting?"

"When you were flirting with Sarashina!"

"Rei, that wasn't… I was _talking_ to her and you know why." She glowered at the carpet until Jun entered her line of vision, kneeling. "I'm sorry. Sorry about your dad, Kaidou, and for manhandling you."

"Great, thanks. Now get out of my room."

He half-smiled. "Not happening. You may be the most articulate drunk I've ever seen, but I'm not leaving until it starts to wear off." She groaned and fell back with an arm over her face. Jun better examined his surroundings, noting string lights wrapped around the canopy. It took him a minute to find the switch that turned them on and Rei groaned again, squinting. Her other furniture consisted of a large vanity desk, a divan, a trunk at the foot of the bed, and a small table with two chairs presumably for having tea. As if reading his mind the butler knocked on the door to deliver some rolls and green tea. "Here, drink this." Jun handed her a cup and saucer. "It'll prevent you from having a terrible hangover."

"I feel perfectly fine, just so you know." She still accepted the hot beverage, sitting primly on the edge of her mattress while Jun claimed the vanity bench. Her brow furrowed upon noticing his eyes darting around before staring at her, over and over again at regular intervals. "Okay, _that's_ annoying," Rei declared. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You started drinking after Kaidou left. It's not my business, but—"

"But you're not going to stop giving me that weird look until I tell you," she finished, huffing. "Like I said, Kaidou was my father's secretary for a few years. He practically lived with us and was one of the most consistent faces I saw. He picked me up from school sometimes, took me to hang out with my friends, and gave me birthday presents when my father forgot." Her tone softened, growing almost meek. "So I guess it was only natural I develop a crush on him. Kaidou was the one man who was always there for me."

Silent moments ticked by. "Did he hurt you?"

"No. _I_ was the one who kissed him first, but he didn't tell me to stop. I needed him and he wanted me, so it just happened."

Jun came to sit beside her, wearing a pained expression. "How old were you?"

"Thirteen."

"Jesus Christ, Rei…" He felt nauseous until anger shoved it to the wayside, and he gripped her shoulders. "That makes Kaidou a pedophile! He should be in prison!"

She shook her head. "The age of consent in Japan is thirteen, and it was always consensual." Rei gasped at the unexpectedly tight embrace from Jun, who held her like she was the most fragile thing in the world. "Knock it off, you idiot. I don't want your pity. I knew exactly what I was doing."

"I don't pity you," he muttered into her hair, "I just… that isn't _fair_ , Rei. You were only a girl and he took advantage of you. I don't understand why you want to pursue politics knowing there are scumbags like Kaidou working in the government, and all those men hitting on you at the gala." Jun pulled back to regard her very seriously. "You deserve better than that."

"Well, I don't really have a choice when I'm my father's only child– I'm obligated to follow in his footsteps. Maybe filial loyalty isn't much of a thing in Finland, but it is here."

"That is so fucked," Jun whispered, and Rei was taken aback by the first curse she'd ever heard leave his mouth. "Are parents really so concerned with upholding legacies that they steer their kids toward lives that will only make them miserable? That's not right, Rei."

Maybe not, but that was the way elite society worked. Jun didn't understand since he hadn't been raised in Japan; if so he might have decided to be a detective like his mother and father, or some other form of civil servant. "What do you want to do with your life, then?" she queried following a long pause.

"Don't know."

Her brow rose in surprise. "You… you don't _know?_ What about racing?"

"It's just a hobby," he said, "I don't know if I want to do it professionally. Maybe I'll stick with it, or become a kudo instructor, or do security work. Maybe I'll pick up another hobby entirely." Jun shrugged. "The only thing I'm concerned with right now is completing the Red Sun Rally. I'll deal with whatever comes next as it happens."

If only Rei had the luxury of living so shortsightedly. That seemed to be the most fundamental difference between her and Jun. He was impulsive, now that she realized it: inviting her to coffee during school hours, chasing after that purse-snatcher, stealing a cigarette, getting involved in his father's investigation, and telling rather than asking her to take him to the Starlight Gala. Maybe that was the thing that had truly attracted her the first time they met. It wasn't his eye color, it was his confidence and a complete disregard for consequence. He saw her, he wanted her in his car, and he just went for it, damn if she denied him.

 _"I'm Jun, and you're riding with me."_

Rei had been along for the ride ever since.


End file.
